Ted Phillips

The New York City Housing Development Corp. last week approved $547.5 million of tax-exempt bonds. That includes the rollout of $130 million of escrowed proceeds from bonds issued under the federal new-issue bond program approved by the board.

The director of the New York City Independent Budget Office was reappointed to a four-year term last week. Ronnie Lowenstein, who has been at the nonpartisan city agency since it was created in 1996, has served as its director since 2000.

New York’s capital projects were ­financed with debt for 56% of the costs in fiscal 2010 compared to 42% in ­fiscal 2001, according to a report released Tuesday by the state comptroller’s ­office.

Nassau County, N.Y., plans to competitively market $125 million of general obligation bonds this week as questions linger about its finances.

The controversy over the Atlantic Yards development project in Brooklyn spawned lawsuits, protests — and now a theater production.

New York City Comptroller John Liu on Wednesday urged Congress to extend the taxable Build America Bond program.

New York Gov. David Paterson will press lawmakers to act to close a $315 million current-year deficit in an extraordinary session of the Legislature scheduled for Monday.

Former political adviser Hank Morris last week pleaded guilty in a pay-to-play kickback scheme involving the New York State pension fund.

A New York credit created last year to finance certain workers’ compensation costs will finally debut next week. The Dormitory Authority of the State of New York plans to sell $97 million of taxable pledged assessment bonds, which are expected to price Dec. 2.

Stamford, Conn., plans to competitively market $35 million of bonds next week and take advantage of federal bond programs due to expire at the end of the year.

New York is likely to impose a property tax cap next year but its effectiveness could depend on local decision-makers, according to a commentary published Monday by a government think tank.

New York is reaching out to retail investors with a website launched to coincide with a $1.1 billion personal income tax bond deal next week. The deal is the first to appear on the site, which went live last month, and with a glut of year-end issuance ­driving muni rates sharply higher ­recently, extra marketing couldn’t hurt.

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey last week expanded its credit support to bonds expected to be sold for the development of a tower at the World Trade Center site due to rating concerns.

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey’s chief financial officer, A. Paul Blanco, is retiring after 39 years of service, the authority announced last week at a board meeting.

New York City will lower its assumed rate of return on its pension funds, which will increase the amount the city contributes, Comptroller John Liu said Thursday.

The New York State Thruway Authority approved a $1.1 billion budget Wednesday with no plans to issue general revenue bonds in 2011 for capital projects. Instead, the agency plans to roll over its $680 million of outstanding bond anticipation notes that are due in mid-2011.

New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority projected that lower returns on pension fund investments would widen out-year budget gaps, officials announced during a budget presentation Wednesday.

New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority tabled the selection of a new underwriting syndicate after a board member questioned the choices at a finance committee meeting Monday.

Silverstein Properties Inc. could use up to $200 million of tax-exempt recovery zone facility bonds to help finance office towers at the World Trade Center site, the developer and deal participants said Monday.

When Adelphi University in Long Island, N.Y., goes to market this week with $25 million of tax-exempt bonds, it will use a resurrected conduit issuer to get around the lack of industrial development agency financing.