MassPort’s AMT Holiday

The Massachusetts Port Authority plans to issue $110 million of private-activity bonds before the end of 2010 to take advantage of the federal government’s temporary suspension of the alternate minimum tax for such deals.

Bond proceeds will help finance upgrades to Terminal C at Boston Logan International Airport and improvements to a cruise terminal at the Port of Boston, among other capital plans, according to Betsy Taylor, MassPort’s finance ­director.

“These will be private-activity bonds that would normally be subject to the alternate minimum tax, however we expect to issue these bonds before the end of calendar year 2010 and therefore they would enjoy the benefits of the AMT holiday that was part of the stimulus package,” Taylor said.

She said the authority has yet to select a senior manager for the PAB sale.

The authority last week approved a $1 billion, five-year capital plan, which it updates every year. The plan is now slightly smaller by $130 million as MassPort no longer owns and maintains the Tobin Bridge. The agency last year handed over ownership of the bridge to the Massachusetts Department of Transportation as part of the state’s reform of its transportation systems.

Along with the PAB transaction set for this year, MassPort anticipates issuing in 2011 about $200 million of taxable bonds secured by customer facilities charges to help finance a new consolidated rental car facility, Taylor said.

For reprint and licensing requests for this article, click here.
Transportation industry Massachusetts
MORE FROM BOND BUYER