The Bond Buyer Podcast

From elite universities to rural hospitals and ports, federal actions are shifting the muni credit landscape. IR+M's Wesley Pate explains how buy-side firms are reacting.

This episode takes us inside The Bond Buyer's recent Southeast Public Finance Conference, where airport finance leaders from Orlando and Tampa discussed shifting passenger trends, modular capital planning, federal grant concerns, and why long-term growth still looks strong.

Bond Dealers of America's Brett Bolton and The Bond Buyer's Kyle Glazier discuss the outlook of federal tax legislation, and the impact of tariffs.

  Industry leaders at The Bond Buyer's Texas Public Finance event discuss how tax policy threats, tariffs, and federal budget cuts could create a new paradigm for muni borrowing costs and credit resilience.  

Jason Appleson of PGIM Fixed Income chats with Caitlin Devitt to break down the biggest factors shaping the muni market today, and how institutional investors are preparing for what's next.

New York Power Authority CFO Adam Barsky and Battery Park City Authority CFO Pamela Frederick join The Bond Buyer's Lynne Funk to unpack the far-reaching consequences of eliminating, reducing, or limiting the federal tax exemption for municipal bonds. To view the full video of this discussion, visit www.bondbuyer.com/leaders.

The Fed is expected to hold steady. RBC's Blake Gwinn breaks down the forces driving the Fed's future decision-making and what it means for markets.

The Bond Buyer's Caitlin Devitt and Kyle Glazier discuss the outlook for tax and infrastructure legislation.

An investor-driven selloff followed the Los Angeles wildfires. ICE Data Services experts join to discuss the reaction, credit impact and growing role of climate risk data. 

San Francisco's commercial real estate struggles, Oakland's looming bankruptcy concerns, and the broader economic headwinds facing the Bay Area take center stage in this episode. Chris Thornberg of Beacon Economics and public policy analyst Marc Joffe join senior reporter Keeley Webster to discuss the impact of hybrid work trends, housing shortages, tax policies, and what it will take for these cities to stabilize their financial futures.

Dr. Shawn Wilson, former Louisiana Transportation Secretary, discusses the transformative Calcasieu Bridge project, lessons from public-private partnerships, and how the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is reshaping U.S. infrastructure development.

Kim Olsan, senior fixed-income portfolio manager at NewSquare Capital, discusses the municipal bond market's performance, the impact of rising yields and inflation, and the evolving role of ETFs and separately managed accounts as the market braces for record supply in 2025.

Bond Buyer senior reporter Keeley Webster hosted a wide-ranging discussion on the state's fall bond slate, housing, and second-term priorities with California Treasurer Fiona Ma and Deputy Treasurer of Public Finance John Sheldon.

The 2024 Freda Johnson award winners Stephanie Wiggins, CEO of the LA County MTA, and Vivian Altman, head of public finance at Janney, discuss the current state of the market, implications of federal policy shifts, and their insights into addressing the growing infrastructure needs across the nation. 

Explore how the 2024 election outcomes could reshape the municipal bond market and tax policy. The Bond Buyer's reporters analyze shifts in Congressional power, potential tax reforms, and what these changes mean for the tax-exempt status of municipal bonds and infrastructure funding across the United States.

Oppenheimer's Head of Public Finance Beth Coolidge and Columbus Auditor Megan Kilgore delve into the future of public finance and human infrastructure on a wide range of topics, from affordable housing and workforce development to public health, climate resiliency, and digital access.   

Craig Brothers, partner, portfolio manager and co-head of fixed income strategy for Bel Air Investments, joins Bond Buyer senior reporter Keeley Webster and discusses why his firm, primarily invested in California debt, has veered away from California GOs and public works revenue bonds in favor of agency, school district and local government debt.   

With supply ballooning, reinvestment dollars at lows of the year, J.P. Morgan's Peter DeGroot argues the next few weeks could offer the best opportunity to buy bonds of the year – and possibly the rate cycle. DeGroot talks about this, plus potential impacts of shifting investor behavior on market liquidity, and what the upcoming election might mean for tax policy and the muni market. Lynne Funk hosts. 

Eric Goldwyn of the Marron Institute's Transit Costs Project joins The Bond Buyer's Caitlin Devitt to talk about his latest report that offers five recommendations to speed up the delivery of high-speed trains in the U.S.

As more extreme weather events occur with more frequency across the country, Michael Gaughan, executive director of the Vermont Bond Bank, says municipal bond banks can help smaller communities deal with the effects of them. Gaughan speaks with The Bond Buyer's Lynne Funk on the effects of climate change and how the various levels of government can work together to address it. 

In this episode, Howard Cure, Director of Municipal Bond Research at Evercore Wealth Management, discusses the improving state of public pensions, the ongoing challenges faced by states like New Jersey and Illinois, and the risks associated with pension obligation bonds.

Dr. Morteza Farajian, executive director of the U.S. Department of Transportation's Build America Bureau, discusses the bureau's pipeline of P3 projects, including new authority for airports, and the timeline for the bureau to release key P3 program guidelines and awards. Senior infrastructure reporter Caitlin Devitt hosts.  

Scott Colbert, Executive Vice President and Chief Economist at Commerce Trust Company, says the bond market remains attractive despite recent fluctuations, noting investment-grade taxable bonds and long-term municipal bonds offer solid opportunities for investors, especially in the current interest rate environment. He also discusses monetary policy and economic expectations.

Economist Sean Snaith joins the podcast to share insights on Florida's economic growth, housing market issues, and labor market trends.

Finance officials for the city decided to be the first municipal issuer to use the distributed ledger technology for a $10 million deal, banking on cost savings, better liquidity and more access for retail investors to their bonds. Mayor Tom Koch, CFO Eric Mason and Strategic Asset Manager Rick Coscia say it should be the first of many blockchain deals for the industry.

Darren Olson of the American Society of Civil Engineers joins to discuss the importance of resilient infrastructure and the impact of federal funding on America's future.

Explore how automation and electronic trading are creating more opportunities and better outcomes for municipal market participants, including making muni bonds more accessible to a broader range of investors.  

James Morris of Investortools joins the podcast to discuss the significant impact of electronic trading and automation on the municipal finance sector, revealing insights into improved efficiencies, trading workflows, and the evolving role of bond traders.

BNP Paribas' Lindsay Costigan discusses the progress and ongoing challenges for women in the financial sector, her role in pushing for gender parity and diversity in finance, and how critical career decisions at pivotal moments can define success.

Barclays' Mikhail Foux talks shifting demand, BABs refundings, election effects and more.

John Hallacy of John Hallacy Consulting and Rich Ciccarone, president emeritus of Merritt Research Services, talk with Chip Barnett about the municipal bond business over the past 40 years. They take a look back at where the industry has been, where it is and where it will be going.

In the celebration of Women's History Month, The Bond Buyer invited one of the icons of public finance, Suzanne Shank, to talk about the importance of women in the municipal bond business. She reveals what led her into the municipal bond business and discusses her firm's continuing commitment to munis and strategy for growth. 

Investor demands and lower account minimums have grown separately managed accounts across fixed-income markets, particularly in munis. Russell Feldman, CEO and co-founder of IMTC, discusses this evolution and how technology has contributed to changing market dynamics.

Though it will still feature in-depth, insightful conversations between our reporters and editors and thought leaders from all corners of municipal finance, our long-running podcast will reboot with a format change. Bond Buyer Editor in Chief Mike Scarchilli explains and previews the changes on the horizon.

Robert Poole, a leading expert in the U.S. public-private partnership transportation sector, joins infrastructure reporter Caitlin Devitt to talk about upcoming deals including toll lanes and bridges in the Southeast and high speed rail in the West as well as states that are advancing P3s and action on the federal front. 

Chad Wildman, executive director, Quantitative Strategies at FMSbonds, and Matthew Smith, founder and CEO of Spline Data, discuss how automation has repositioned the muni market and where participants can find value by using technology tools. Lynne Funk hosts.

SIFMA's Leslie Norwood joins Bond Buyer Executive Editor Kyle Glazier for a discussion about the regulatory and legislative outlook for broker-dealers. 

Red state-blue state battles have complicated ESG issuance even as the muni market strives to make it an accepted asset class. The Bond Buyer's Lynne Funk, Karen Pierog, Chip Barnett and Keeley Webster discuss how it's playing out nationally and regionally.

Bond Buyer Executive Editor Kyle Glazier discusses the coming year in D.C. with Bond Dealers of America's Brett Bolton. 

Justin Cooper, Orrick's co-head of public finance breaks down how states like Oregon, Washington and California are funding efforts to lessen their affordable housing and homelessness crises.  

The 2023 Freda Johnson Award winners, Megan Kilgore and Virginia Wong, discuss why they are bullish on the municipal industry. Lynne Funk hosts. (39 minutes)

Well-known municipal restructuring and P3 attorney Karol Denniston, the Global Projects Partner at Squire, Patton Boggs, talks with infrastructure reporter Caitlin Devitt about the growing popularity of predevelopment agreements as well as the P3 pipeline and legal challenges like the University of Iowa's litigation over its 50-year energy concession.

Stephen Winterstein, founder of SP Winterstein and Associates, discusses how technology has changed, challenged and the improved product set and efficiencies in the muni market. Lynne Funk hosts. 25 minutes. 

Bond Buyer Senior Reporter Keeley Webster shares an interview with California Treasurer Fiona Ma on her run for lieutenant governor as a prelude to a fireside chat Wells Fargo Director Julia Kim conducted with the state treasurer at The Bond Buyer's California Public Finance conference.

Royden Durham and Tony Tanner, portfolio managers at the Aquila group of funds, talk with Chip Barnett about what's special about Kentucky and Arizona – what's the same and what's different within their municipal bond markets. (18 minutes)

The Bond Buyer's Keeley Webster talks ratings, fair integration and potential solutions to Bay Area Regional Transits current challenges with Bryant Jenkins, a managing principal with Sperry Capital.

Bond Buyer Senior Reporter Caitlin Devitt joins Bond Buyer Executive Editor Kyle Glazier to discuss the looming government shutdown and the progress of the historic bipartisan infrastructure law two years after its passage.   

Carlos Braceras, Utah's transportation secretary, talks about overseeing the largest transportation program in the state's history. He discusses the projects and challenges that go along with creating safe and efficient transportation infrastructure for the fastest-growing state in the union. Caitlin Devitt hosts. (33 minutes).

Breckinridge's Ruth Ducret discusses how her firm takes ESG factors into consideration into their credit and investment strategies, the market's vulnerabilities in the face of climate change and how transition risk is a real threat. Lynne Funk hosts.

CFO of the city of Atlanta, Mohamed Balla, talks housing bonds and his participation in the recent National Association of Security Professionals' annual conference. 

Tracey Manzi, senior investment strategist at Raymond James, talks with Chip Barnett about the fixed income markets today and how munis and Treasuries are doing. She says the number one issue clients are asking about is inflation. (20 minutes)