Politics

Bond lawyers, municipalities, and transportation officials are moving towards greater use of public private partnerships for infrastructure projects bogged down by capital constraints and high risk.

The state's government now expects general fund revenues to decline 2.3% in the current fiscal year from the previous fiscal year.

S&P Global Ratings warned that Indiana's property tax reform law, Senate Enrolled Act 1, creates uncertainty for local income tax-backed debt.

Housing advocates are resuming a fracas with the federal government over Build America, Buy America requirements they claim are slowing down efforts to build more affordable housing, which relies on private activity bonds.

If Gov. Gavin Newsom signs the two bills, it would be credit positive for San Francisco area transit, Moody's Ratings analysts said.

An SEC investigation "is not a litigation," said Kathleen Marcus, a partner at Stradling Yocca Carlson & Rauth.

The ever-rising cost of projects is the number one financial challenge for municipalities, according to the latest survey from the National League of Cities.

The U.S. Department of Transportation announced it has achieved a hiring goal for new air traffic controllers as the threat of a government shutdown looms in the background.

The nearly-complete offshore wind power generation project can resume construction while it fights a stop-work order from the Trump administration.

The Pennsylvania government is still kicking the can down the road on public transit funding. This time, it's using capital funds to plug operating gaps. 

A bill to provide state credit support for housing finance and another to create an infrastructure bank were placed in the legislature's suspense file.

Advocates have floated similar measures repeatedly over the course of several administrations with no luck.

The administration wants the project "to be a model of how to build quickly and cost effectively," Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said.

Doña Ana County taxable industrial revenue bonds, which will be sold to participants in the project, will enable the project to access a variety of tax breaks.

The state government is holding back school aid while it waits for lawmakers to pass a budget. That's hurting some schools more than others. 

"A lawsuit like this is probably critical for any future settlements or agreements, because it will (maybe) determine up front if the incoming [board] members, and thus whatever agreements they sign, are valid or not," said Matt Fabian, a partner at Municipal Market Analytics.

For the 24th year, The Bond Buyer editorial board will identify and recognize the year's most outstanding municipal finance transactions. The final deadline for nominations is Friday, October 17.

BDA plans to hold the fly-ins twice a year, CEO Mike Nicholas said.

All of fiscal 2025 was funded under continuing appropriations instead of the traditional appropriations process.

The city faces hundreds of child sex abuse claims stemming from a former after-school program volunteer. A recent state law opened the window for old claims.