Government finance

Issuers and non-dealer muni advisors support the existing prohibition, while dealers asked the MSRB to provide some flexibility.

The revision gives local governments an extra nine months to make changes under a new rule involving the treatment of leases.

GFOA is putting together a working group to address concerns about continuing disclosure in the municipal market, a topic increasingly discussed among stakeholders.

GASB Statement 91 calls for conduit issuers to stop reporting conduit debt in their financial statements and to report all of it in their accompanying notes starting Dec. 15, 2020.

Steven Gibson became president last year and is the deputy city manager in Rock Hill, South Carolina.

GFOA members also will elect five new members-at-large.

Lower gas prices, remote working, easy driving and new competition from ride-share companies are taking slices of the pie.

The Senate on Wednesday debated a $13.45 billion disaster aid bill that would require Puerto Rico to assume a local share of additional FEMA aid rather than the 100% federal share in a bill passed by the House.

Blockchain could benefit the muni market, but receives pushback in an industry historically slow to change.

Trump proposed $8.5 billion in cuts to the Department of Education and another $8.6 billion to the Department of Housing and Urban Development which would bring financial upheaval to school district budgets and public housing authorities.

The federal tax issue that is at stake in both audits involve the federal payments for the direct-pay subsidy.

The National Association of Bond Lawyers's letter to lawmakers emphasized the infrastructure benefit of protecting the muni market.

Common Good founder Philip Howard discusses his new book "Try Common Sense." His approach to simplifying government including moving federal agencies out of Washington. Paul Burton hosts.

A top House Democrat warned the Trump administration not to engage in debt limit brinksmanship that could halt trading in state and local government securities.

GFOA’s goal is to get a majority of House members to sign a letter pledging not to touch the tax exemption as they debate new infrastructure funding proposals.

Federal formula aid and grants have been cut off for providers ranging from small rural agencies to the nation's biggest mass transit systems.

A city task force has restored nearly $40 million in unreconciled cash accounts that was driven largely by duplicate debt service entries.

Moody’s Investor’s Service said the shutdown “has had minimal impact on municipal credits,’’ but warned that “economic disruption will grow as the shutdown lingers.”

Emily Brock, director of GFOA’s federal liaison center, said restoration of advance refundings and increasing the limit on bank qualified debt to $30 million also are among the legislative priorities for 2019.

The House approved rules changes Thursday that include restoration of the so-called Gephardt rule that links passage of the annual budget resolution to a debt ceiling increase.