MuniLand

The drop in mortgage rates never seems to stop. Source: Freddie Mac

Best wishes to all for a safe, healthy and prosperous 2012. Muniland had a very good 2011 and everyone will be working hard to right the fiscal ship in 2012.

Good Links

Philly Clout: Retire on Friday, collect a six-figure pension payment, and then return to work

Barron’s: Last week of 2011 had $362 million of muni bond inflows

HuffPo: Claws out for Meredith Whitney

Bond Buyer: California Supreme Court allows dissolution of the state’s redevelopment agencies

S&P: Credit report for the newest type of muni bond: unemployment obligation bond

NYT: Back to the 1950s — cities remove street lights for savings

Commonwealth Foundation: Tax-exempt government property adds to Harrisburg’s fiscal problems

American Statesman: An antitrust inquiry for the muni bonds of the Texas Water Development Board

@Twitter Talk

@PensionDialog Pension Dialog   Census report of 3rd quarter decline in pension assets is a snapshot in time wp.me/p1zPh0-9H

@RawStory The Raw Story   Colorado joins Rhode Island, Washington in asking DEA to recognize marijuana’s medical value. bit.ly/vFjJKZ

@BCAppelbaum Binyamin Appelbaum   Samoa is skipping Friday to jump to Chinese side of international dateline, reversing its 1892 jump to US side. bit.ly/vmJn6k

@NCSLorg NCSL   Experts from across country make predictions on what the top elections issues will be for state legislatures in 2012  goo.gl/6qBoi

@biz_reporter Matthew Wurtzel   P&I: Michigan city’s pension plan sues Delphi Financial over buyout ow.ly/1gp3yo

cbm1971 ☞CBM   NY Public Library, a cultural treasure: Explore more than 250 thought-provoking items from @NYPL’s vast collections.  ow.ly/8b5Ua

@NCSLorg NCSL   Across the country, recreation areas are being hit hard by state budget cuts. goo.gl/olaff

@CreateCapital Scott Bleier   $$ In 2012 40 of 50 states will Legalize Gambling and Marijuana. It will be the largest windfall for States & personal bankruptcy in history