Muni Think

To work well, public policy in a democracy must be transparent and allow time for debate, input and analysis. The given time frame on the House GOP tax bill, which will have broad ramifications for infrastructure development, healthcare and higher education costs and affordable housing, provides little opportunity for a democratic process of debate and compromise to take place.

In a document rife with broken promises and misstatements about the muni market, the “Tax Reform” proposal beats up on the municipal bond market and state and local bond issuers to an extent never envisioned prior to the publication of that proposal.

Issuers were honored in eight categories, and all the award winners are also finalists for the national Deal of the Year award, which will be announced at a Dec. 6 ceremony held at 583 Park Avenue in New York City. The winner will also be revealed online at BondBuyer.com later that evening.

With a tax bill on the table that places the cost of tax cuts on the municipal finance market, the time to voice opposition is now.

After infrastructure and health care legislation failed to materialize, the municipal industry turns its attention to the potential benefits – and risks – of tax reforms now before Congress.

Broker-dealers are tasked with devising a systemic, robust way of determining prices for securities, yet guidance has been vague, especially with respect to illiquid bonds.

Municipal market participants can now access dynamic, interactive secondary-market data from directly within the Bond Buyer experience; partnership with Municipal Bond Information Services will provide exclusive real-time market data and analytics.

While surplus-linked instruments may give governments a more favorable pay-out structure, the question of control over government decision making is a significant concern.

For the first time, municipal market participants can access dynamic, interactive secondary-market data from directly within the Bond Buyer experience; partnership with Municipal Bond Information Services will provide exclusive real-time market data and analytics.

I write in response to the September 14 guest opinion article titled, “Don’t be selective about disclosure,” written by Lynnette Kelly. Though Ms. Kelly raises important issues in her article and we support her stance overall, her facts with respect to PREPA are inaccurately portrayed.