Far West

WASHINGTON - Public sector pensions should consider disclosing their projected future contributions in order to fare better in the marketplace, a bond lawyers' group said in guidance circulated earlier this month.

WASHINGTON - The chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee warned Wednesday that "a national infrastructure bank as proposed" in President Obama's jobs bill "is dead on arrival in the House of Representatives."

SAN FRANCISCO - California Gov. Jerry Brown has signed one budget reform bill and vetoed another, while hinting that more change is on the way.

State and local government officials are applauding House Ways and Means Committee members on the eve of an expected vote to approve legislation that would repeal a 3% withholding requirement that they warn would be costly and burdensome.

WASHINGTON - Kristin H. R. Franceschi, a partner at DLA Piper LLP in Baltimore, takes over the helm of the National Association of Bond Lawyers Wednesday amid uncertainty about how the municipal market will be affected by the European financial crisis, the U.S. political environment, and federal regulatory and legislative changes.

Money market funds are supposed to be ultra-safe, but new provisions have popped up in recent years that can make it difficult for holders of variable-rate and short-term securities to interpret and monitor.

WASHINGTON - President Obama's jobs council has made transportation investment one of five priorities for accelerating job growth and improving the country's long-term competitiveness.

Kristin Franceschi practices corporate, securities and public finance law at DLA Piper. She represents clients and helps colleagues on structured financings, conduit deals, tax increment financings, defeasance transactions, arbitrage issues, and general municipal law.

SAN FRANCISCO - California Gov. Jerry Brown has signed legislation imposing new requirements local governments must meet before declaring bankruptcy.

DENVER - A dealer group said the issuer community must mobilize to defend the federal tax exemption for municipal securities, which has been called into question by recent Obama administration proposals.