Northeast

James MacDonald will become Massachusetts' first deputy treasurer effective Dec. 1, state Treasurer Steven Grossman announced.

Nassau County, N.Y., is establishing steps to improve its system of residential assessments, which in the past has forced the county to engage in costly borrowing.

New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli announced a tentative schedule for the planned public sale of obligations for the state, New York City, and their major public authorities during the fourth quarter of 2011.

While Moody's Investors Service cited multiple years of operational decline and three additional fiscal years of budget gaps in giving Yonkers, N.Y., a multi-notch downgrade, a spokesman for the city also blamed a new state law.

The Philadelphia Hospitals and Higher Education Facilities Authority will negotiate a $270 million sale of tax-exempt, fixed-rate bonds Thursday to benefit the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia project.

Moody's Investors Service late Tuesday placed the Ba1 rating for Harrisburg Authority's $69.4 million of Series 2008 water refunding bonds under review for possible downgrade.

Bond banking, law, and government all decorate Mark Schwartz's resume. "I have a tripolar background," he said.

Gov. Peter Shumlin and other Vermont officials outlined a plan to make short- and long-term financing available to towns damaged by Hurricane Irene.

Standard & Poor’s revised its outlook to stable from negative and affirmed its BB-minus rating on the Rhode Island Health and Educational Building Corp.’s remaining $12.7 million series 1998 revenue bonds, issued for Roger Williams Medical Center.

The Pennsylvania Senate’s top Republican wants an impact fee on companies that drill for natural gas in the Marcellus Shale region and he wants it soon.