The Council of Development Finance Agencies is including the enactment of tax-exempt private activity bonds for electric car charging stations among its top lobbying priorities for inclusion in federal infrastructure legislation. CDFA also wants Congress to enact enhancements for aggie bonds and industrial development bonds as well as reinstate the tax exemption for advance refunding bonds.

This bipartisan infrastructure plan is supported by a group of 20 senators—10 Democrats and 10 Republicans—to usher our nation's infrastructure into the 21st century. If signed into law, it would represent the largest infrastructure investment in American history. The plan includes $579 billion in new spending to rebuild America's roads and bridges, improve public transit systems, invest in broadband infrastructure, and upgrade our airports.

There are a few steps that states can take to set themselves up for success with broadband expansion efforts, according to a Pew Charitable Trusts study. Pew's key ingredients for effective state broadband programs are 1) the creation of dedicated broadband offices, 2) planning and technical assistance for local and regional entities, and 3) competitive grant programs.

The effort to finance the Brightline West high-speed rail line between Las Vegas, Nev., and Victorville, Calif., will wait until 2022. The Las Vegas Review-Journal reports Brightline spokesman Ben Porritt said the plan to seek funding through private activity bonds was being pushed back because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and that the company had notified agencies involved in its effort of that plan beforehand.

CTBH Partners LLC is pleased to announce the closing of $105.2 million aggregate principal amount of tax-exempt solid waste industrial revenue bonds for its client, Waste Pro USA, Inc. As financial advisor to the Borrower, CTBH represented Waste Pro in the issuance of the Florida Development Finance Corporation Solid Waste Disposal Revenue Bonds Series 2021 for the benefit of Waste Pro.

One of the top real estate headlines this year has been the dramatic rise in the cost of lumber and other construction materials. Developments with low-income housing tax credits (LIHTCs) have the added challenge of a limited ability to increase sources, causing many to face difficult or insurmountable gaps. Effectively the same problem occurred in 2017, although then it was due to a rapid reduction in equity investment.

The impacts of a changing climate are no longer hypothetical. Each year, extreme events such as hurricanes, droughts, fires, and freezes grow more frequent and more intense—destroying homes, disrupting businesses, and damaging the natural world along the way. Minimizing and adapting to these impacts must be a priority for every unit of government and every sector of the economy.

The U.S. Department of the Treasury today provided states and localities with additional guidance on how the State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds included in the American Rescue Plan Act can be used to reduce and respond to violent crime – particularly gun violence – by investing in community policing, community violence interruption, and other programs that are proven to reduce crime.

Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) released a 423-page draft bill that includes a $1.2 billion annual nuclear credit program, full funding for Energy Act of 2020 clean energy demonstration programs, and money to deploy more carbon capture and hydrogen pipeline infrastructure. It is also widely seen as a potential piece of the broader $1 trillion infrastructure agreement backed by a group of 21 bipartisan senators.

This CDFA Legislative Briefing took place on June 16, 2021. We discussed the status of the infrastructure bill and CDFA's latest efforts on Capitol Hill. We also outlined important action items that you can take to ensure that bond financing provisions are included in the infrastructure bill.

Despite a somewhat inflationary environment and a huge run-up in debt during the pandemic, the federal government's borrowing costs remain exceptionally low, with 30-year bond yields at less than 2.5% and rates negative in inflation-adjusted terms. Congress should work to identify worthwhile medium-term projects and just do them. Don't worry about the money.

A bipartisan push to provide pandemic-related tax incentives to the tourism and hospitality industries faces hurdles on Capitol Hill as lawmakers focus on trying to advance incentives for infrastructure and for working families proposed in President Joe Biden's recovery plan.

Missouri Development Finance Board (MDFB) is soliciting resumes for a new Executive Director. MDFB's next Executive Director must have a strong background in economic development with a track record of successfully navigating complex economic development projects to completion, strong financial acumen with previous experience working with tax credits, excellent communication skills, the ability to work well with a diverse group of external stakeholders in Missouri and beyond, and the ability to effectively manage a talented staff of committed professionals.

This key leadership role is responsible for operational improvements, capital structure, establish dashboard, metrics and best practices for the finance department. Additionally, responsible for strategic planning, implementing, managing and controlling financial related activities of Invest Atlanta and its' related entities.

Florida Community Loan Fund is seeking an Executive Assistant to the CEO with duties including general office management and administrative support for other executives. Established in 1994, FCLF operates statewide from a network of offices in Orlando, Tampa, Melbourne, Sarasota, and Fort Lauderdale. The position is located in the Orlando office.

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This guidance from the Treasury Department examines how states and localities can use the State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds included in the American Rescue Plan Act to reduce and respond to violent crime – particularly gun violence – by investing in community policing, community violence interruption, and other programs that are proven to reduce crime.

This resource summary is for state, local, and K-12 energy professionals and non-finance experts seeking to understand how bonds can be used to pay for energy efficiency and renewable energy projects and initiatives. It outlines market trends in bond financing for energy efficiency and renewable energy, reviews the key considerations of bond issuances, briefly compares bond financing to other options, and provides two case studies.

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