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.”
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The state-appointed receiver for bankrupt Central Falls, R.I., has written retired police officers and firefighters, informing them of further cuts in pension benefits.
By Paul BurtonAugust 30 - New York
The New York Local Government Assistance Corp. has postponed its sale of $191.2 million of Series 2011A fixed-rate subordinate-lien refunding bonds to Wednesday from Tuesday, citing disruptions from Hurricane Irene.
By Paul BurtonAugust 29 -
Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett has held out both a carrot and a stick to Harrisburg.
By Paul BurtonAugust 29 -
Central Falls' state-appointed receiver has stepped into the bankrupt Rhode Island city's school district contract talks with teachers.
By Paul BurtonAugust 26 - New Jersey
As the new developer of the stalled Xanadu retail and amusement mall project at the Meadowlands explores public financing options such as bond sales and tax breaks — possibly for as much as $1 billion — skeptics question whether a concept that worked in the hinterlands will succeed in New Jersey.
By Paul BurtonAugust 26 - Vermont
Treasurer Elizabeth Pearce and Gov. Peter Shumlin favor expanding Vermont's rainy-day fund to 8% from 5%. Vermont is among only 15 states with a triple-A rating from the three major rating agencies.
By Paul BurtonAugust 26 -
Chester, which has been in Pennsylvania's Act 47 program for distressed communities, has received an A rating from Standard & Poor's.
By Paul BurtonAugust 26 - Pennsylvania
Standard & Poor's assigned its BBB-plus long-term rating and stable outlook to Philadelphia Gas Works' revenue refunding bonds, the 20th series under the 1975 ordinance and 10th series under the 1998 ordinance.
By Paul BurtonAugust 26 -
Fitch Ratings has placed two sets of BB-plus rated bonds issued by the New York City Industrial Development Agency on behalf of Staten Island University Hospital on positive rating watch.
By Paul BurtonAugust 26 - New York
Albany, N.Y., has two vacancies on its seven-member Industrial Development Agency board.
By Paul BurtonAugust 26 -
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo nominated former state transportation commissioner Thomas Madison as executive director of the New York State Thruway Authority, subject to Senate confirmation.
By Paul BurtonAugust 26 -
Fitch Ratings has affirmed its long-term triple-A rating on Dartmouth College bonds issued by the New Hampshire Health and Education Facilities Authority, while assigning a stable outlook.
By Paul BurtonAugust 26 - Massachusetts
The Salem City Council will reconvene Sept. 8 to give second and final approval to two bond issues.
By Paul BurtonAugust 26 -
When Rhode Island sold $169 million of general obligation bonds on Wednesday after a two-day retail period, two words echoed amid huge jumps in yield: Central Falls.
By Paul BurtonAugust 25 -
Mayor Linda Thompson implored Harrisburg City Council members to approve her financial recovery plan, which will go before the council for a final vote at a special legislative session next Wednesday.
By Paul BurtonAugust 24 - New York
The Regional Economic Development Council in New York City held its first meeting on Tuesday, as part of New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo's initiative to attract and retain businesses and jobs.
By Paul BurtonAugust 23 -
Another downgrade hit Rhode Island as Moody's Investors Service lowered its rating to A2 from A1 on the Rhode Island Economic Development Corp.'s motor fuel-tax revenue bonds, affecting $77 million of outstanding debt.
By Paul BurtonAugust 22 -
A week of noise involving unions and commuters ended quietly in a Manhattan conference room on Friday, when the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey board of commissioners approved a set of toll and fare increases that the states' governors modified.
By Paul BurtonAugust 19 -
Berklee College of Music is planning a $90 million bond sale to help finance construction of a performance center, dormitory and dining hall at its main Boston campus.
By Paul BurtonAugust 19 -
Fitch Ratings placed all outstanding notes of the Vermont Student Assistance Corp. 1995 bond resolution on negative rating watch.
By Paul BurtonAugust 19




