Paul Burton is the Northeast Regional Editor for The Bond Buyer. His major coverage has included New York City and MTA finances; the Harrisburg, Pa., debt crisis; the 38 Studios bond financing fiasco in Rhode Island; and unfunded pension liability. Paul hosts podcasts and videos and has moderated at Bond Buyer conferences. Previously, Paul was senior editor and copy chief at M&A-oriented financial media company The Deal LLC. His award-winning career has spanned financial, sports and political journalism. A Boston native, Paul is the author of the book “Tales from the Newsrooms.” He is a frequent public speaker and has appeared as an expert on municipal debt on radio and television shows, including former CBS News White House correspondent Sharyl Attkisson’s public-affairs program, “Full Measure.”
- Connecticut
Connecticut Gov. Dannel Malloy was scheduled late Thursday to sign a jobs bill that called for nearly $1 billion of bonds, including a controversial $291 million to help genetics research concern Jackson Laboratory build a $1.1 billion center at the University of Connecticut Health Center.
By Paul BurtonOctober 27 - New York
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Comptroller John Liu on Thursday announced an agreement in principle to overhaul the management of the city's five pension funds totaling $120 billion and place a chief investment officer and a singular pension board in charge.
By Paul BurtonOctober 27 -
Harrisburg's City Council will hold a special meeting at 6 p.m. Monday with Mayor Linda Thompson and Pennsylvania officials to discuss recently enacted legislation authorizing a state takeover of the city.
By Paul BurtonOctober 27 - Puerto Rico
Moody's Investors Service assigned a negative outlook to the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority's $8.23 billion of outstanding power revenue bonds while affirming its A3 rating.
By Paul BurtonOctober 26 -
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg is said to be chugging ahead with an outside-the-box - and outside-the-state - proposal to further extend the No. 7 subway line to New Jersey, according to a New York Post report that said he will spend the next few months planning for it.
By Paul BurtonOctober 26 - New York
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey plans a $400 million sale of new money and refunding bonds by competitive bid on Wednesday.
By Paul BurtonOctober 25 - Massachusetts
The Massachusetts School Building Authority plans a $600 million sale of Series 2011B senior dedicated sales tax bonds through negotiated bid on Thursday after a one-day retail order period.
By Paul BurtonOctober 25 -
Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett late Monday declared a fiscal emergency in Harrisburg, calling the move necessary to ensure maintenance of vital municipal services.
By Paul BurtonOctober 24 - New York
New York City's defined-benefit pension plans can deliver the same retirement income at a nearly 40% lower cost than a 401(k)-type individual account, according to a report.
By Paul BurtonOctober 21 - Rhode Island
Rhode Island, the nation's smallest state, has a big problem - unfunded pensions. And it's not alone.
By Paul BurtonOctober 21 - Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico said its general fund expenditures for the third quarter of fiscal 2012 were $1.86 billion, 1% below amounts budgeted.
By Paul BurtonOctober 21 -
Standard & Poor’s lowered its long-term rating on the Philadelphia Hospitals and Higher Education Facilities Authority’s revenue bonds, issued for Temple University Health System, to BBB-minus from BBB.
By Paul BurtonOctober 21 - Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania completed an $811.6 million general obligation bond sale on Tuesday, obtaining what Budget Secretary Charles Zogby called one of the state’s lowest interest rates ever.
By Paul BurtonOctober 21 -
Moody’s Investors Service has placed the Ba3 rating on the Harrisburg Parking Authority’s $18 million of outstanding guaranteed Series 2007T revenue bonds on review for possible downgrade.
By Paul BurtonOctober 21 -
All governmental funds tax collections for the first half of New York State’s 2011-12 fiscal year rose 12.6% from the same period last year, but were $391.9 million less than updated financial plan projections, according to the September 2011 cash report released by Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli.
By Paul BurtonOctober 21 - New York
The New York City Mayor’s Office of Management and Budget, the Comptroller’s Office, and three of the city’s financing entities have announced the selection of financial, pricing, investment and swap advisors.
By Paul BurtonOctober 21 -
Standard & Poor’s assigned its A long-term rating to the Massachusetts Development Finance Agency’s Series 2011 bonds issued for Clark University and affirmed the underlying A on outstanding bonds issued for the university by the agency.
By Paul BurtonOctober 21 - Connecticut
Connecticut’s treasurer called the state’s $900,000 settlement with the three rating agencies a major step forward.
By Paul BurtonOctober 21 -
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Thursday named Madison Square Garden executive and former New York City deputy mayor Joseph Lhota to succeed Jay Walder as the chairman and chief executive of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority.
By Paul BurtonOctober 20 -
Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett on Thursday signed legislation authorizing the state to declare a fiscal emergency in Harrisburg and appoint a receiver to implement a recovery plan.
By Paul BurtonOctober 20



