Munis

Wisconsin will be in the market Wednesday with $253.9 million of general obligation bonds, with some proceeds funding the Blatnik Bridge replacement project.

Bond trustee UMB Trust has engaged Lighthouse Management Group to serve as the receiver.

February's volume was at $33.725 billion in 622 issues, up 1.6% from $33.191 billion in 614 issues in February 2024, according to LSEG data.

Issuance in the Far West was up 30.8% year-over-year to $98.9 billion. Muni market observers say issuers tried to beat the uncertainties of the election.

It marks a major step forward for the long-stalled high-speed train project between Dallas and Houston.

The planned fiscal 2026 increase in bonding is expected to continue for several years.

The House moves the ball forward in the budget battle with an approved plan as public finance leaders lay out the strategy for saving the tax-exempt status of municipal bonds which provides a tempting target for lawmakers searching for ways to pay for promised tax cuts.

The Senate hearing comes as lawmakers start to shape the next surface transportation bill.

Chicago's City Council on Wednesday approved the sale of $830 million of general obligation bonds that Mayor Brandon Johnson says will fund infrastructure improvements.

Volume in the Southeast was up 46% in 2024, led by Florida, where municipal bond sales more than doubled to $27.49 billion.

The rating agency said the one-notch downgrade, which comes ahead of a bond sale, was due to weaker operating performance and liquidity.

Legislation to continue a sales tax and revenue bond program until July 1, 2028, and allow its use for mall redevelopment projects, passed the Senate.

The House now needs to negotiate a final budget resolution with the Senate, whose leaders have said they want to make the TCJA permanent.

Midwest bond sale volume peaked in the third quarter of 2024.

The Pasadena Unified School District plans to eliminate 151 full-time employees, including 115 teachers, as it struggles with the fallout from the Eaton Fire.

Bond lawyers want to make sure their voices are heard as Congress moves toward critical votes on tax policy.

Issuers in the eight-state region sold $103.3 billion of bonds last year, with Texas deals accounting for $68.13 billion of the debt.

The unpredictable nature of legislating leads most to holding off on disclosure changes until a bill becomes a law.

Native American Tribes are working their way through Congressional committees looking for support on legislation that would allow the tribes to issue municipal bonds using the same rules as state governments.

The muni market produced $512.7 billion of debt issuance in 2024, up 33.1% from $385.1 billion in 2023, according to LSEG data. This surpasses the previous record of $484.6 billion in 2020 by almost $30 billion.