Washington DC

A key House committee chairman would block any attempts to expand PABs for public infrastructure projects.

Analysts say states' and cities' unfunded infrastructure should be viewed as a liability, along with debt, pensions and other post-employment benefits.

Lawmaker suggests advanced refundings be renamed “refinancing to save taxpayer dollars” and private activity bonds be called "public good bonds."

The president's proposal to expand and use private activity bonds for public infrastructure projects is similar to one made by a prior administration.

The Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board wants to prepare broker-dealers for a forthcoming seismic regulatory change.

The Securities and Exchange Commission's spending would be beefed up and its focus on retail investors and self-regulators in the municipal market would be increased under the fiscal 2019 budget request made public Monday.

Among the many programs proposed for elimination by the president's fiscal 2019 budget are Community Development Block Grants, the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, the Community Services Block Grant, HOME and the Housing Trust Fund.

President Trump's infrastructure plan, detailed for reporters by a White House official this weekend, will expand the eligibility of tax-exempt private activity bonds.

The group wants to retool itself to reflect significant changes in the analyst community, as well as to lay the foundation for the next generation of muni analysts.

Congress has enacted four short-term continuing resolutions since the Oct. 1 start of the 2018 fiscal year, putting a strain on state and local budgets.

Brad Waterman says it's unfair for the IRS to withhold documents pertaining to a "suspected practitioner misconduct" charge that was filed against him but never investigated.

The Council of Infrastructure Financing Authorities is asking individuals or firms to submit proposals by March 2.

The agreement would include emergency disaster relief funding for Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Florida and Texas that was approved by the House in December.

NABL details at least seven alternatives for outstanding bonds as well as five ways that new bond transactions can be structured.

Some bond lawyers don't see a replacement for tax credit bonds, which were banned after last year by the new tax law.

Identical bipartisan bills introduced in the House and Senate would provide a new source of funding for state revolving fund programs that would enable states to expand assistance to communities for water infrastructure projects.

While President Trump gets praise for pushing for $1.5 trillion of new infrastructure investment, leaked draft plans for a bill have already raised questions and sparked controversy.

Historically, the vast majority of state and local government series securities were purchased for advanced refunding escrows until tax-exempt advance refundings were banned after 2017.

It will take some time to see how both tax reform and infrastructure makes an impression on the muni market, said panelists at The Bond Buyer's National Outlook 2018 Conference.

During his State of the Union address, President Trump also embraced the recent call by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce -- without mentioning them –- to reduce the permitting approval process to two years or less for infrastructure projects.