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Infrastructure One More Time
In written music one repeats the phrase after the coda. In municipals, we repeat the infrastructure phrase as an expression of hope. This time truly does feel different. The Civil Engineers gave us their report card of C+ for the status of infrastructure recently....
New York State Budget Outlook
New York State Budget Outlook It is always interesting from an analyst’s viewpoint how New York State comes to market with a bond issue when the budget adoption is close but is far from done. This year is no different. Of course, all the numbers under discussion have...
Sending the Stimulus Wisely
While you have been watching Tesla stock on the up and down roller coaster, you have found some solace in the stability in the municipal space. It is true that yields are up measurably and that funds are not cascading into mutual funds of late. But new issuance is...
Stable and Reliable
Stable and Reliable The recent power crisis in Texas had me thinking back to the beginning of my career several decades ago when my primary job was as a power analyst. I trudged through many of the public power plants across the nation including the nuclear facilities...
Governing by the Rule of 51
Governing by the Rule of 51 Most participants in the markets and pundits who follow events agree that given the level of unemployment among other factors that more needs to be done by the means of additional stimulus. The administration’s goal to include state and...
Anticipating Changes Ahead
We have all been dealing with a lot of incoming news over the last week. While our form of government was being severely tested, there were many other factors to focus on from a municipal standpoint. One of the first items that comes to mind is the necessity...
New Beginnings for Municipals
It is hard not to reference Shakespeare at this like this. After all, he really covered it all. I was trying my best to come up with a citation from one of the Henry plays. Yet, I keep coming back to Lear. I have visions of Lear wandering around the foggy moor with...
What will happen to munis this year
John Hallacy, founder of John Hallacy Consulting LLC, talks about the most important opportunities and challenges the municipal bond market will face in 2021. He gives his estimate on where muni volume may be headed, discusses the possibility of a federal...
Surveillance Items for Municipals in 2021
Some of the federal level drama was recently reduced by the stroke of a pen. However, some subplots continue to play out including the $2000 addendum and the filling of recent vacancies in various posts. Of course, there is every reason to believe that we will have...