Podcasts

Richard Ryffel of Washington University in St. Louis discusses the July 16-17 Brookings Municipal Finance Conference in Washington, DC, which attracts academics, practitioners, issuers and regulators. Hosted by Paul Burton.

The U.S. Virgin Islands’ current financial woes are discussed with Fitch Ratings Senior Director Marcy Block. She says the government’s recent actions have helped it in the short-term but haven’t adequately addressed its long-term problems. Hosted by Robert Slavin.

Central Falls Mayor Jim Diossa trumpets his formerly bankrupt city's rise to investment-grade status, and compares the tiny Rhode Island city with other distressed issuers including Detroit, Puerto Rico and Illinois. Hosted by Paul Burton.

Maine State Treasurer Terry Hayes addresses recent disputes with Maine Gov. Paul LePage over bond sales and her upcoming campaign for governor in 2018. Hosted by Andrew Coen.

GASB chair David Vaudt will talk about the importance of the board’s upcoming standards for state and local governments. Hosted by Lynn Hume.

Former New York State Assemblyman Jerry Kremer visits The Bond Buyer and shares insight from his days as a lawmaker clashing with former Gov. Mario Cuomo and how a new free college tuition program spearheaded by current Gov. Andrew Cuomo will impact higher education. Hosted by Andrew Coen.

Jonathan Peters, a finance professor at the College of Staten Island and research fellow at CCNY's University Transportation Research Center, delves into aging infrastructure, cost overruns and interagency bickering that affect such projects as Gateway, Second Avenue subway and East Side access. Hosted by Paul Burton and Andrew Coen.

PNC Capital Markets managing director Tom Kozlik discusses the results of his third annual poll of municipal bond analysts, which reveals pensions and Washington policy uncertainty as the two biggest concerns. Hosted by Paul Burton.

Adam Andrzejewski, founder and CEO OpenTheBooks.com, talks about how his database of public spending could make governments more accountable. Andrzejewski ran for governor in Illinois, which he calls the “Super Bowl of corruption.” He cites outlandish salaries, waste at the federal level, and “compensation buckets” at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. Hosted by Paul Burton.

As the White House kicks off its Infrastructure Week, Chris Hamel, head of public finance for RBC Capital Markets, explores possible remedies for the infrastructure funding crisis in the U.S. He also discusses challenges and opportunities the municipal bond industry faces amid change over the next few years. Hosted by Paul Burton.