Washington DC

Congress should look to municipal experts to make the case for revenue triggers as a way to allay concern that tax cuts will necessitate spending reductions.

House Ways and Means Committee Chair Kevin Brady said the private-activity bond provision was included in the House tax bill so lawmakers would have more time to discuss these bonds.

California lawmakers are pushing Republican leaders to restore the federal deduction for state and local income taxes in the final tax bill.

A tribal government specialist has replaced Allyson Belsome as head of the group responsible for muni bond audits.

Sen. Collins said a partial restoration of the SALT deduction will help get her vote for tax bill.

Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., introduced a comprehensive support bill for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands Tuesday, calculated to cost up to $146 billion.

With roughly two weeks to negotiate a final tax bill, using the amendments would avoid a formal conference and could save private activity bonds.

More than half of the $44 billion is for disaster relief administered through FEMA and the SBA.

Halting tax-exempt advance refundings at the end of the year, as proposed by both pending tax bills, would increase issuers’ costs, deprive them of savings for new projects, and push some to enter into swaps that could increase their risk.

Republicans can only afford to lose two votes when the tax overhaul bill comes to the Senate floor.

The SEC went into its expanding toolbox to bring fraud charges against Oyster Bay, N.Y., and its former top elected official for hiding the existence and potential impact of side deals with a businessman.

Mehran Tazhibi agreed to pay a $10,000 fine and be suspended for two months.

The House approved its version of tax reform by a vote of 227-205.

Even though tax bills would have a PAYGO problem, Republicans may have the upper hand.

Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn told The Bond Buyer he will fight to keep PABs in the final tax reform bill when the Senate and House Republicans negotiate their differences next month.

U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Rep. Nydia Velázquez called for the Oversight Board to eliminate all of Puerto Rico’s public sector debt.

It may take 60 votes in the Senate to decide if the tax bill is subject to the PAYGO Act.

Smaller not-for-profit hospitals and systems lack the access to taxable debt markets enjoyed by bigger systems.

Without tax-exempt private activity bonds, charters would have to turn to more expensive and restrictive capital sources.

Repeal of the health mandate would increase healthcare costs for state and local governments.