Podcasts

Erin Stewart, one of country's youngest female mayors, tells The Bond Buyer's Paul Burton how New Britain, Conn., erased a $30 million deficit, earned bond rating upgrades and undertook several economic development initiatives. She also reacts to Gov. Dannel Malloy's budget proposal.

Whistleblower attorney Mark Schwartz sounds off to Bond Buyer northeast regional editor Paul Burton about public finance fiascoes. Schwartz, who represented the Harrisburg City Council in its bankruptcy filing, calls for the registration of municipal securities and discusses conflicts of interest, whistleblower struggles and regulators who are "fat, dumb and happy."

How are the nation's suburban municipalities shaping up politically and financially? Larry Levy, executive dean of the National Center for Suburban Studies at Hofstra University discusses how the 2016 presidential election played out in the suburbs and whether the changing landscape in Washington D.C. will impact borrowing for infrastructure projects. Hosted by Andrew Coen.

Ohio University sports financing expert and former player agent Bob Boland sifts through the messy issue of bond financing for NFL stadiums and franchise relocation with Bond Buyer northeast regional editor Paul Burton.

Regina Shafer, USAA's Assistant Vice President of fixed-income mutual fund portfolios, recently joined Bond Buyer reporter Chip Barnett to discuss 2017's hot topics -- healthcare and infrastructure. She also looks at market performance, interest rates and correctly forecast muni bond fund flows.

What does the muni market have in store for us in 2017 after a record breaking year issuance-wise in 2016? Kevin Dunphy, managing director and head of public finance for Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, talks about the overall outlook for the muni market, what he sees for issuance in 2017, and addresses shrinking underwriter spreads and what, if anything, can be done to increase those margins. Hosted by Aaron Weitzman.

Stephen Eide, a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute for Policy Research, tells The Bond Buyer's Paul Burton why Hartford, New Haven, Bridgeport and Waterbury are struggling, how bond rating agencies have treated them, and recommends how the cities and the state can cope with the problem.

Money Market Funds underwent a huge reform at the end of 2016, increasing liquidity and transparency to better attract investors. Colleen Meehan, director of municipal money market fund strategies for BNY Mellon cash investment strategies, talks about supply/demand imbalance with variable rate demand notes and where there are opportunities for investors. Hosted by Aaron Weitzman.

Greg Sullivan, research director for the Boston think tank Pioneer Institute, tells The Bond Buyer's Paul Burton how the MBTA Retirement Fund fiasco resonates nationally as public pension and transit-funding poster child. Gov. Charlie Baker has just called for a state takeover of the fund, which has operated in secrecy as a private trust despite 75% public funding.

Fitch Ratings' Doug Offerman discusses: how bad are the state pensions' underfunding problems, how do the pensions compare to their situation in 2007, how have GASB accounting changes helped obervers understand pension funding, whether pensions' assumed rate of return is realistic, and the impact of the growing portion of our populace living past 65 have on pensions. Bond Buyer reporter Robert Slavin asks the questions.