As colleges and universities develop and implement sustainability plans to reduce their carbon footprint, there remains the question as to how to fund these sustainability plans.  Some colleges and universities look to federal and state grants for a portion of this funding and some look to donors.  In addition to these options,  there is a new development in the debt market which could also lead to lower interest rates for issuers as a result of increased demand:  ESG bonds and Green bonds.
Continue Reading Why ESG Bonds and Green Bonds May Help Colleges and Universities with Their Sustainability Plans

The United States Department of the Treasury recently published its Final Rule implementing the Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF) program established by the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA).  The Final Rule adopts with amendments the Interim Final Rule published by Treasury on May 17, 2021. The Final Rule updates the rules governing the expenditure of funds received by public entities under the program.
Continue Reading Treasury Issues Final Rule on Expenditure of State and Local Coronavirus Recovery Funds

Recognizing the importance of The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA), our  colleague, Attorney Tim Horstmann, wrote the first article in this series titled “The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. Here’s What to Expect” in April 2021 and in July 2021 Tim penned an article titled “ARPA Windfall: What May Pa. and Its Municipalities Do With This Money?” Adding to this series, we will now discuss what to expect in an ARPA audit.  This article will focus on Pennsylvania’s $13,450,275,500.40 portion of the $350B Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds Program (CSLFRF), which is the specific program under ARPA that provides new funding to tribal governments, states, territories, and local governments across the United States to aid in their recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Continue Reading ARPA Audits– What to Expect and What You Can Advise Your Clients to Do Now

On Friday, September 10, 2021, the House Ways and Means Committee released the text of a bill – known as the “Build Back Better Act” – that would restore the ability of state and local governments to issue tax-exempt “advance refunding” bonds, i.e., bonds issued more than 90 days before the redemption date of the bonds to be refunded.
Continue Reading Tax-Exempt Advance Refundings Included in Proposed Build Back Better Act

On July 16, 2021, the Pennsylvania Department of Education (“PDE”) submitted its American Rescue Plan Act (“ARP”) Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (“ESSER”) Plan to the United States Department of Education (“USDE”).  ARP ESSER is sometimes referred to as “ESSER III.”  Pennsylvania’s 78-page plan can be found here:  Pennsylvania ARP ESSER State Plan.  Less than a month later, on August 5, 2021, USDE approved Pennsylvania’s ARP ESSER Plan.

That plan approved nearly $5 billion in federal funding to flow to public school districts, including charters (referred to as a Local Education Agency (“LEA”)) across the Commonwealth.[1]  If you are curious as to what was allocated for your school district, that can be found at PDE’s website.  Although there is not a specific deadline to apply for ARP ESSER funds, PDE strongly encouraged LEAs to apply by September 1, 2021.
Continue Reading The Pennsylvania School Board Director’s Quick-Guide to ARP ESSER/ESSER III Funding

A recent decision from the Pennsylvania Prevailing Wage Appeals Board (the “Board”), if affirmed, would have dramatic consequences for private, nonprofit colleges and universities that rely on bonds issued by public entities to finance their construction projects. The decision, In Re: Grievance filed by International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local No. 98, Docket No. PWAB-1G-2018, was recently appealed to the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court.

In the case, the Board determined that the Pennsylvania Prevailing Wage Act (the “Prevailing Wage Act”), applies to construction projects at Ursinus College (the “College”), a private, nonprofit college, because the projects were financed by bonds issued by the Montgomery County Higher Education and Health Authority (the “Authority”), a municipal authority and public instrumentality of the County of Montgomery organized under the Pennsylvania Municipality Authorities Act (the “Authorities Act”).
Continue Reading Private College and University Construction Projects Financed by Bonds Are Subject to Prevailing Wage Act, Appeals Board Finds

McNees Wallace & Nurick LLC is pleased to announce the addition of accomplished public finance attorney Frannie Reilly to its Devon office.  Reilly, who most recently led her own practice in Swarthmore, adds extensive experience to the firm’s Public Finance & Government Services, Corporate & Tax, and Charitable and Non-Profit Groups.

Reilly has served as

McNees is hosting a Municipal Roundtable to discuss the issues of disclosure in the secondary market. This discussion will include an overview of SEC Rule 15c2-12 and cover everything from the simple things issuers do wrong to ESG disclosure and disclosure by distressed issuers. Participants will also have the ability to ask questions in this

On March 11, 2021, President Joe Biden signed into law the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (“ARPA”), which provides for almost two trillion dollars of new federal spending to combat the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic. Of particular interest for Pennsylvania is the approximate $350 Billion of new funding appropriated to tribal governments, states, territories, and local governments, $14 Billion of which is estimated to be received by Pennsylvania and its municipalities. With the United States Department of the Treasury (“Treasury”) mandated to pay out a substantial portion of the funds within 60 days of the enactment of ARPA, Pennsylvania and its municipalities might see initial funding from ARPA as early as May.
Continue Reading Billions of Dollars Will Soon Start Flowing to State and Local Governments under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. Here’s What to Expect.

Pennsylvania counties and municipalities could see a windfall from the nearly $14 billion in aid that will be delivered to the commonwealth through the recently passed American Rescue Plan Act.

While it will be welcome financial relief, counties and local governments should be aware of the rules and regulations regarding how those funds should be spent.
Continue Reading With Great Funding Comes Great Responsibility: Assisting Municipalities with American Rescue Plan Compliance