Munis

Fargo finance director Kent Costin said the downgrade was expected given the decline in construction activity in 2019.

Neveu works in Butler Snow’s New Orleans office and has represented different issuers while focusing on affordable housing finance.

Huntington Beach approved a resolution to refinance up to $436 million of public employee pension debt with pension obligation bonds.

Martin Arrick, a managing director at S&P Ratings and its longtime not-for-profit healthcare group leader, will retire on Jan. 15.

The governor is pushing for $3B of bonding to tackle what he called the nation’s most aggressive program for reducing risks posed by climate change.

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority released its annual Risk Monitoring and Examinations Priorities letter Thursday.

As interest in climate change and its impact on munis have both skyrocketed, data and research providers hope to move the needle further on those issues for the muni investment world.

The authority is making an investor push ahead of two upcoming deals.

The top three spots in the rankings did not change year-over-year but there were plenty of place changes in the rest of the top 10

The top municipal issuers easily surpassed their issuance totals from 2018 year, with $400.51 billion in 10,582 transactions in 2019 compared to $320.35 billion in 8,549 deals the year before. California regained control of the throne after coming in third in 2018.

The top muni underwriters accounted for $406.51 billion in 10,582 transactions in 2019 compared to $320.35 billion in 8,549 deals in 2018. There was only one change in the top five year-over-year but spots six through 10 saw three changes. Barclays and Stifel both had big improvements in the rankings, while Raymond James dropped the most.

Despite opposition to tolls, Louisiana completed its P3 agreement with Plenary Infrastructure to build the Belle Chasse Bridge and Tunnel Replacement Project.

The Palmyra-Eagle Area School District says it will run out of operating funds in the next school year.

The new law gives school districts more power to deny charter applications, a credit positive for school districts and existing charter schools, Moody's says.

Two rating agencies lowered their outlook for University Hospitals to stable from positive.

Some smaller firms are deciding to qualify more than half of their municipal advisor principals as a sort of backup plan.

Chicago is coming to market next week with its $1.3 billion debt refinancing.

California's I-Bank will be the conduit on the second set of bonds to finance construction of the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures.

JEA terminated former managing director Aaron Zahn without cause; the city attorney’s office is investigating if Zahn should be fired for cause.

The challenge this year will be biggest in the three states that were found by the Council of Development Finance Agencies to be closest to using their 2018 limits — California, New York and Massachusetts.