Bonds

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy unveiled his executive budget proposal for fiscal year 2024, a record $53.1 billion plan that takes into account the state’s expectation for a shallow and short recession by holding off on large new initiatives while boosting reserves and addressing long-term obligations. “This budget will better prepare New Jersey for any

Legislation seeking to end government contracts with companies engaged in “boycotting” an expanded list of industries and business policies passed the Utah House and Senate late Thursday. Senate Bill 97 builds on laws previously enacted in Texas and a few other states focusing on “boycotts” of the fossil fuel or firearm industries by adding timber,

New Mexico would authorize public-private partnerships on the state and local level under a bill unanimously approved by the state House Thursday and now headed to the Senate. The bill, House Bill 213, would allow P3s for transportation and broadband projects. “Those are two of the most pressing needs in the state,” said Rep. Cathrynn

States and cities trying to craft budgets to implement infrastructure projects have been stumped by requirements set in place by the Build America, Buy America Act, and the nation’s top transportation official is urging them to rise to the challenge. Passed as part of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the act requires that the

Municipals were weaker Thursday as outflows from muni mutual funds continued. U.S. Treasury yields rose, with all maturities now yielding above 4%, and equities ended mixed. Treasury yields rose as initial jobless claims came in below 200,000 for the seventh straight week and unit labor costs for the fourth quarter were revised up to 3.2%

Rep. George Santos’s, R-N.Y., introduction of a bill that would raise the federal limit of deductions to $50,000 for individuals or $25,000 for married individuals adds to the recent pile on of efforts by Congressional members to raise or remove the cap entirely, but it isn’t likely to get anywhere due to the Congressman’s nefarious

Municipals were little changed to kick off the month, while U.S. Treasuries were weaker and equities ended mixed. The three-year muni-UST ratio was at 60%, the five-year at 62%, the 10-year at 65% and the 30-year at 90%, according to Refinitiv MMD’s 3 p.m. ET read. ICE Data Services had the three at 64%, the

Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta President Raphael Bostic called for continued interest-rate hikes to above 5% ensure that inflation returns to the central bank’s target and doesn’t reaccelerate in a pattern similar to the 1970s. “I think we will need to raise the federal funds rate to between 5% and 5.25% and leave it there

Municipals were steady to end a month that saw anemic supply and muni yields selling off. U.S. Treasuries were firmer out long, and equities ended down. The three-year muni-UST ratio was at 62%, the five-year at 63%, the 10-year at 66% and the 30-year at 91%, according to Refinitiv MMD’s 3 p.m. ET read. ICE

Fritz Stradling, who co-founded Stradling Yocca Carlson & Rauth’s public finance practice, died peacefully in his sleep on Feb. 17. He was 96. He and his fellow co-founders of Stradling’s public finance practice, John Murphy and Tom Clark, are credited with helping to give California bond law firms stature in the public finance world. “Before

MassachusettsGov. Maura Healey unveileda tax relief proposal Monday, a key feature of her administration’s fiscal year 2024 budget due to be presented to lawmakers on Wednesday. “This proposal centers affordability, competitiveness, and equity each step of the way, delivering relief to those who need it most and making reforms that will attract and retain more

A decision last week by the U.S. Supreme Court not to hear a case out of Arkansas could fuel more legislative attempts to cut companies off from doing business, including municipal bond underwriting, with state and local governments if their policies are considered harmful to certain industries.  The litigation challenged a 2017 Arkansas law requiring

Municipals were mixed to end the week as U.S. Treasury yields rose double-digits five years and in and equities ended down. The three-year muni-UST ratio was at 61%, the five-year at 62%, the 10-year at 66% and the 30-year at 91%, according to Refinitiv MMD’s 3 p.m. ET read. ICE Data Services had the three

Flanked by officials from the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul on Thursday hosted a groundbreaking for a terminal project she said will cap John F. Kennedy International Airport’s $18 billion redevelopment. “The groundbreaking offers a complete vision for the modernized global gateway,” Hochul said at a ceremony held

The U.S. Treasury resumed operations of its Office of Recovery Programs Contact Center on Feb. 21, providing local governments with an important link to the federal agency as they seek to complY with the conditions governing the federal money. The help desk fielded about 300 calls and about 2,000 emails a week before shuttering last October

The U.S. would get a national infrastructure bank that would partner with states and local governments to attract private equity and pension funds under a bipartisan bill unveiled this month. It’s the latest legislation to pursue the idea, which lawmakers have floated repeatedly over the years as a way to spur private investment into the

Greenberg Traurig gained five public finance lawyers who joined the law firm’s Houston office this month from Orrick.  Adrian Patterson, who served as Houston office leader at Orrick, joined Greenberg as a shareholder, along with Robert Collie and James Hernandez as of counsels, and Noe Hinojosa III and Donna McIntosh as associates, the law firm

Cleveland Fed President Loretta Mester said a bigger-than-expected rise in the central bank’s preferred inflation gauge shows the need to keep raising interest rates, but stopped short of suggesting this warranted a step-up to a half-point hike next month. “The inflation readings are still not where we need them to be,” she told Bloomberg News

S&P Global Ratings upgraded Illinois by one notch Thursday for ongoing progress in chipping away at its debts and rebuilding its rainy day fund. The action — lifting $26.5 billion of general obligation bonds to A-minus from BBB-plus — puts the state back into the single-A category for the first time in seven years and

A municipal fintech platform for asset management firms, banks, insurance companies, and municipal advisors is being developed by Assured Guaranty’s new subsidiary, AG Analytics. The platform intends to deliver best-in-class technology and turnkey solutions to replace fragmented data resources used by municipal asset managers, analysts and other market participants. “Many asset managers are using too

Rejecting nearly all of the challenges to its disclosure statement and plan of adjustment in the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority bankruptcy, the Puerto Rico Oversight Board attempted to explain why National Public Finance Guarantee could get preferential treatment. National’s treatment is permissible since it is supported by a “legitimate basis,” the board said, citing