MuniLand

Once there were seven municipal bond insurers rated AAA who insured over 57% of municipal bonds in 2005. Now there are two AA bond insurers and they insure about 5% of new municipal bonds. Source: Daniel Berger, Thomson Reuters Muncipal Market Data

Good Links

Bloomberg: U.S. voters approve over $10 billion in new bond issues of the $16.5 billion on ballots

Princeton Patch: After decades of debate, Princeton, NJ votes to consolidate borough and township

MSRB: Hey state and local governments: here is your toolkit for best practices on debt issuance

MSRB: And here’s “Issuer Education” for state and local govts (best materials out there)

Bloomberg Radio: Muniland legend Lebanthal says every portfolio needs muni bonds

NYT: As states move to contract workers, complications arise

Dani Rodrik: California and Greece are not two sides of the same coin

The California Fix: More on why California is certainly not Greece

@Twitter Talk

@umairh umair haque   No offense to anyone, but I can’t quite believe I just read this. Tax the middle class more, right now? nyti.ms/vuaiZv

@markknoller Mark Knoller   The Exec Order Pres Obama issues today calls for 20% reduction in govt spending on travel, cell phones, iPads & swag.

@GreeneBarrett Barrett and Greene  College grads in 2010 owed an average of $25,250 — up 5% from 2009 ow.ly/7nIur

@BizJournalism Reynolds Center  Ohio voters reject Republican-backed union limits.. usat.ly/vU65jr

@AmyResnick Amy Resnick   Princeton consolidation vote points to how localities can find ways to save money. Definitely progress.

@cate_long Cate Long    FACTBOX-Municipal bond issuers with widest credit spreadsreut.rs/w22pKD #muniland bad boys…