Far West

After five years as head of California's private activity bond allocation committee, Sean Spear is leaving to work as the managing director for a multifamily financing and municipal advisory firm.

A House panel will hold a hearing Feb. 26 on legislation that would allow Puerto Rico government-owned corporations to restructure their debts under Chapter 9 of the Federal Bankruptcy Code.

The political crisis in Oregon that ended its long-serving governor's political career was a non-event for the municipal bond market, showing no impact on a GO bond sale the day new governor Kate Brown took office.

Robert Fippinger, senior counsel at Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe and a Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board director since 2010, plans to join the MSRB as its chief legal officer on March 3, the board announced. Michael Post has been promoted to general counsel for regulatory affairs.

Connecticut governor proposes 30-year, $100 billion transportation program to modernize state's highway and transit infrastructure.

Hawaii Governor David Ige nominated Brigadier General Joseph Kim, as deputy director of the state's department of taxation.

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti named city officials to a task force charged with creating a development strategy for the city's waterfront.

Kern County, Calif., is likely to withstand the revenue hit from the drop in oil prices, but smaller Kern County credits may not fare as well, according to Gurtin Fixed Income Management LLC.

Municipal advisors remain concerned about one of the key provisions of the Securities and Exchange Commission's municipal advisor registration rule, although communications between issuers and underwriters remain robust nearly eight months after the final effectiveness of the rule.

The Internal Revenue Service issued a favorable private-letter ruling to an issuer who planned to issue governmental and private-activity bonds to finance improvements to water facilities.