HomeMy WebLinkAbout20-485..
RESOLUTION NO. 20-485
A RESOLUTION REVISING ADMINISTRATIVE POLICY NO. 403.07 "DEBT SERVICE
MANAGEMENT" AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
WHEREAS, on the 5th day ofMarch, 1996, the City Council passed Resolution No. 96-013
adopting Administrative Policy No. 403 .07 "Debt Service Management"; and
WHEREAS, the policy most recently amended on the 3rd day ofDecember 2019, when the
City Council passed Resolution No. 19-2824 adopting the current version of the Debt Service
Management Policy; and
WHEREAS, the City Manager recommends adoption of the revised policy and the City
Council desires to adopt such policy as the official policy regarding Debt Service Management; NOW,
THEREFORE,
THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF DENTON HEREBY RESOLVES:
SECTION 1. The following policy entitled "Policy No. 403.07 Debt Service Management",
attached hereto and made a part hereof: is hereby adopted as an official policy of the City of Denton,
Texas and shall replace the existing Debt Service Management Policy.
SECTION 2. The attached policy shall be filed in the official records with the City Secretary.
SECTION 3 . This resolution shall become effective immediately upon its passage and
approval.
rfiJe motion to ftPProye this ordinance was made by J0hh ~Ctn and seconded
by JL} }e.. Wv 1.) . The ordinance was passed anpproved by the following
vote ~-0 1:
Mayor Chris Watts:
Gerard Hudspeth, District 1:
Keely G. Briggs, District 2:
Jesse L. Davis, District 3 :
John Ryan, District 4:
Deb Armintor, At Large Place 5:
Paul Meltzer, At Large Place 6:
Aye
v
Nay Abstain
PASSED AND APPROVED this the J ::H"-day of (Yl~-rc;L-
Absent
, 2020.
. ' 11. ~;\Legal\Our Documents\R.esolutiOil!I\20\Debt Policy ResolutiOJLdoc
ATTEST:
ROSA RIOS, CITY SECRETARY
BY:s&v<~
APPROVED AS TO LEGAL FORM:
AARON LEAL, CITY ATTORNEY
&L~~y
(/ I
BY:
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• T i • 'T
CITY OF DENTON Page 1 of26
POLICY/ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURE/ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTIVE
SECTION: FINANCE REFERENCE NUMBER:
403.07
SUBJECT: DEBT MANAGEMENT INITIAL EFFECTIVE DATE:
03/05/96
TITLE: DEBT SERVICE MANAGEMENT LAST REVISION DATE:
03/17/2020
POLICY STATEMENT
This policy shall provide general guidelines by which the City of Denton (the "City") will
issue debt. In as much as this policy may be in conflict or inconsistent with state law, state
law will prevail. Furthermore, state law will prevail on matters not specifically addressed
in this policy. It is the objective of this policy that (1) the City obtain financing only when
necessary, (2) the process for identifying the timing and amount of debt or other financing
proceed as efficiently as possible, and (3) the City seek the most favorable interest rate and
competitive costs in accordance with this policy while maintaining financial flexibility.
This debt management policy applies to the financing activities of the City of Denton,
Texas. It also addresses the issues of process, use and limitations. Proceeds from debt
issuances will be delivered as closely as possible to the time that contracts are expected to
be awarded so that the proceeds are spent efficiently. In addition, the City Council may,
through adoption of a reimbursement ordinance, authorize the expenditure of funds prior
to the bond sale for certain capital expenses. The reimbursement ordinance is required by
Federal Law to document the City's intent to reimburse expenses from the future sale of
debt obligations. The City Council shall review and approve the debt management policy
at least annually and be documented by ordinance or resolution, which shall include any
changes made.
ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES
I. DEBT MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE
A. Members
The Debt Management Committee (the "Committee") will consist of the City
Manager, Chief Financial Officer, Director of Finance, Assistant Directors of
Finance, Controller and Treasury Manager. The City's financial advisor and bond
counsel shall act as consultants to the Committee. When needed, the City Attorney
will act as a legal advisor to the Committee. The City's Internal Auditor will serve
as a non-voting member of the Committee. A quorum may be achieved by a
member designating a substitute participant to serve in their absence . That
substitute participant will not be granted voting rights.
B. Scope
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The Committee shall meet at least annually to review the debt program or as
necessary. Topics for discussion should include: the Capital Improvement Program
(CIP), acquisition of fixed assets, status of outstanding debt, unspent bond
proceeds, unissued voter authorized debt, timing of additional financing needs and
financing options, and the effect of proposed financing activity on the related rates
supporting the debt (i.e., property tax rate, utility rates, user fees, etc.).
ll. RESPONSffiiLITY AND STANDARD OF CARE
The Finance Department will coordinate all activities required for the issuance of all debt.
A. Delegation
The Director of Finance shall have primary responsibility for developing financing
recommendations . The Director of Finance shall :
• Meet at least annually during budget development with Department
Directors to consider the need for financing, review debt capacity and assess
progress on the Capital Improvement Program;
• Periodically review changes in state and federal legislation;
• Periodically review the provisions of ordinances authorizing issuance of
debt obligations;
• Periodically review the City's Charter to ensure compliance with state law;
and
• Periodically review services provided by the financial advisor, bond
counsel, paying agent, and other service providers to evaluate the extent and
effectiveness ofthe services being provided.
B. Conflicts oflnterest
All participants in the debt management process shall act responsibly as custodians
of public assets . Officers and employees involved in the debt management process
shall refrain from personal business activity that could conflict with proper
execution of the financing program, or which could impair their ability to make
impartial financing decisions.
C. Reporting
The Director of Finance shall include in the Comprehensive Annual Financial
Report ("CAFR") a report summarizing all debt outstanding by type (tax-supported
and self-supported general obligation debt, and revenue debt), remaining balance
of bond proceeds, update of arbitrage liability, and update of pertinent legislative
changes. Additionally, the Director of Finance shall annually publish on the City's
website a Debt Report summarizing the City's total outstanding principal and
interest for all long-term debt as of the end of the last fiscal year, in accordance
with House Bill1378 passed during the 2015 legislative session.
D. Investor Relations
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The City shall endeavor to maintain a positive relationship with the investment
community. The Director of Finance and the City's financial advisor shall, as
necessary, prepare reports and other forms of communications regarding the City's
indebtedness, as well as its future financing plans. This includes information
presented to the press and other media. The information includes, but is not limited
to, the annual program of services, CAFR, financial plans, capital improvement
plans, and comprehensive development plans.
All forms of media deemed appropriate and immediately available to the City will
be utilized to disseminate information to all investors. Examples include the Texas
Bond Reporter and the Texas Municipal Reports published by the Municipal
Advisory Council of Texas (the "MAC"), The Bond Buyer, and the Electronic
Municipal Market Access system ("EMMA") maintained by the Municipal
Securities Rulemaking Board (the "MSRB"). Bond counsel will advise on the use
of electronic media in connection with the City's debt program.
E. Financial Advisor
The City shall retain an independent financial advisor for advice on the structuring
of new debt, financial analysis of various options, including refunding
opportunities, the rating review process, the marketing and marketability of City
debt obligations, issuance and post-issuance services, the preparation of offering
documents (each, an "Official Statement") and other services, as necessary. The
City will seek the advice of the financial advisor on an ongoing basis. The financial
advisor will perform other services as defined by the agreement approved by the
City Council. The financial advisor will not bid on nor underwrite any City debt
issues in accordance with MSRB rules.
F. Bond Counsel
The City shall retain bond counsel for legal and procedural advice on all debt issues.
Bond counsel shall advise the City in all matters pertaining to its bond ordinance(s)
and/or resolution(s). No action shall be taken with respect to any obligation until a
written instrument (e.g., Certificate for Ordinance or other legal instrument) has
been prepared by the bond attorneys certifying the legality of the proposal. The
bond attorneys shall prepare all ordinances and other legal instruments required for
the execution and sale of any bonds issued which shall then be reviewed by the City
Attorney and theDirector of Finance. The City will also seek the advice of bond
counsel on all other types of debt and on any other questions involving federal tax
or arbitrage law. Special counsel may be retained to protect the City's interest in
complex negotiations.
G. Communications with Underwriters
The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010
mandated the Securities and Exchange Commission to establish the Municipal
Advisor Rules (the "MA Rules") which were finalized in September of 2013 and
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became effective July 1, 2014. Under the MA Rules, any person that provides
certain advice to the City with respect to the issuance of bonds or municipal
financial projects (including investment strategies involving the investment ofbond
proceeds) is, absent an exemption under the MA Rules, deemed to be a "municipal
advisor." Any person that is a municipal advisor under the MA Rules is subject to
a fiduciary duty to the City and would be precluded from acting as an underwriter
for bonds issued by the City . The City receives deal ideas, analysis, suggestions
and related services for bond issues from underwriter banks that may be considered
"advice" for purposes of the MA Rules . So that the City may continue to receive
this type of advice from underwriters/banks, the Director of Finance may provide
whatever communications to an underwriter/bank the Director of Finance
determines to be necessary to establish an exemption under the MA Rules so that
those underwriters/banks are not considered a "municipal advisor" for purposes of
the MA Rules. On June 29, 2015, the Chief Financial Officer filed an Independent
Registered Municipal Advisor (IRMA) Certificate with the MAC to be made
available to underwriters/banks desiring to communicate with the City. The IRMA
Certificate was revised andre-filed with the MAC on September 23, 2016 . The
IRMA Certificate is also available on the City's website .
ill. OFFICIAL STATEMENT
The preparation of the Official Statement is the responsibility of the financial advisor in
concert with theDirector of Finance. Information for the Official Statement is gathered
from departments/divisions throughout the City.
IV. DISCLOSURE
A The City will take all appropriate steps to comply with federal securities laws,
including, but not limited to, Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") Rule
15c2-12 (the "Rule"). The City will make annual and event disclosure filings to
the MSRB via EMMA as required by the Rule and its continuing disclosure
undertakings.
B. With each bond offering, in the preparation of a CAFR, Official Statement or any
other offering document, and with the City's annual filings required by its
continuing disclosure undertakings pursuant to the Rule, the City will follow a
policy of full and complete disclosure of operating, financial and legal conditions
of the City, in conformance with the Government Finance Officers Association best
practice, "Understanding Your Continuing Disclosure Responsibilities (September
20 15)", and as advised by the City's bond counsel or financial advisor.
C. Notice of Disclosure Events
The Rule and the City's continuing disclosure undertakings list certain events that
must be reported in a timely fashion to the MSRB via EMMA and, if required by
the Rule and the City's continuing disclosure undertakings, to the MAC in its
capacity as the State Information Depository ("SID") for the State of Texas. On
May 26 , 2010, the SEC made amendments to the Rule, which only apply to primary
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offerings that occur on or after December 1, 2010. On August 15, 2018, the SEC
made amendments to the Rule, which only apply to primary offerings that occur on
or after February 27, 2019. While not required, the City will make every effort to
apply the new requirements to previously issued bonds since the amendments make
the Rule more stringent. The amended Rule requires that events be reported to the
MSRB within 10 business days after the occurrence of the event.
1. The events that must be reported, if material, are:
a. Nonpayment related defaults;
b. Modifications of rights of security holders;
c. Bond calls;
d. Release, substitution, or sale of property securing repayment of the
securities;
e. Mergers, consolidations, acquisitions, the sale of all or substantially all
of the assets of the City or other obligated entity or their termination;
f Appointment of a successor or additional trustee or paying agent or the
change of the name of a trustee or paying agent;
g. The incurrence of a material financial obligation, or material agreement
to covenants, events of default, remedies, priority rights, or other similar
terms of a financial obligation that affects security holders; and
h. Default, event of acceleration, termination event, modification of terms,
or other similar events under the terms of the financial obligation, any
of which reflect financial difficulties.
2. The events that must be reported, regardless of materiality, are:
a. Principal and interest payment delinquencies;
b. Unscheduled draws on debt service reserves reflecting financial
difficulties;
c. Unscheduled draws on credit enhancements reflecting financial
difficulties;
d. Substitution of credit or liquidity providers, or their failure to perform;
e. Adverse tax opinions, the issuance by the IRS of proposed or final
determinations of taxability, Notices of Proposed Issue (IRS Form
5701-TEB) or other material notices or determinations with respect to
the tax status of the security, or other material events affecting the tax
status of the security;
f Tender offers;
g. Defeasances;
h. Rating changes; and
1. Bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or similar proceeding.
The Rule also requires the City to report to the MSRB the failure of the City to provide the required
annual financial information or operating data on or before the dates specified under a continuing
disclosure undertaking
V. RATING AGENCY COMMUNICATIONS & CREDIT OBJECTIVES
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The City will seek to maintain and improve its current bond ratings so its borrowing costs
are reduced to a minimum and its access to credit is preserved.
In conjunction with the financial advisor, the City shall maintain a line of communication
with at least two ofthe rating agencies (Moody's, Standard & Poor's, or Fitch), informing
them of major financial events in the City as they occur. The CAFR, Annual Program of
Services, and Capital Improvement Program shall be distributed to the rating agencies after
they have been accepted and adopted by the City Council on an annual basis.
When necessary, a conference call or personal meeting with representatives of the rating
agencies will be scheduled when a major capital improvement program is initiated, or to
discuss economic and/or financial developments which might impact credit ratings . The
following documents may be required by the rating agencies:
• Most recent annual audit reports, including a description of accounting practices.
Accounting changes in the past three years and the impact on financial results
should be explained ;
• Current budget ;
• Current Capital Improvement Program;
• Official Statements for new financings ;
• Description of projects being financed;
• Sources and uses statement for bond issuance. If additional funds are required to
complete specific projects being financed, the source of the funds and any
conditional requirements may be discussed;
• Engineering and feasibility report (if applicable);
• Zoning or land-use map (if applicable);
• Cash flow statement, in the case of interim borrowing. Statement of long-and
short-term debt with annual and monthly maturity dates as appropriate. Also, a
report of any lease obligations, their nature and term;
• Indication of appropriate authority for debt issuance;
• Investment policy (if applicable); and
• Statement concerning remaining borrowing capacity plus tax rate and levy capacity
or other revenue capacity.
Full disclosure of the City's operations will be made to the bond rating agencies. The City
staff, with the assistance of the financial advisors and bond counsel , will prepare the
necessary materials for and presentation to the rating agencies.
VI. LIMITATIONS OF INDEBTEDNESS AND AFFORDABILITY STATEMENT
City staff, in conjunction with the financial advisor and bond counsel, will present to the
City Council, and any City committee, as appropriate, a comprehensive analysis of debt
capacity prior to issuing bonds. This analysis should include relevant information such as:
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• Legal debt limitations, tax or expenditure ceilings;
• Coverage requirements or additional bonds tests m accordance with bond
covenants;
• Measures of the tax and revenue base, such as projections of relevant economic
variables (e.g ., assessed property values, employment base, unemployment rates,
income levels, and retail sales);
• Population trends;
• Utilization trends for services underlying revenues;
• Factors affecting tax collections, including types of property, goods, or services
taxed, assessment practices and collection rates, evaluation of trends relating to the
City's financial performance, such as revenues and expenditures, net revenues
available after meeting operating requirements;
• Reliability of revenues expected to pay debt service;
• Unreserved fund balance levels;
• Debt service obligations, such as existing debt service requirements;
• Debt service as a percentage of expenditures or tax or system revenues;
• Measures of debt burden on the community, such as debt per capita, debt as a
percentage of full or equalized assessed property value, and overlapping or
underlying debt; and
• Tax-exempt and taxable market factors affecting interest costs, such as interest
rates, market receptivity, and credit rating.
Annual debt service on long term general obligation debt (tax-supported), which excludes
self-supported debt, shall be limited to no more than 30% of budgeted expenditures in the
City's General Fund.
The City has revenue bonds and other indebtedness of the Electric, Water, and Wastewater
Funds, which are collectively known as the City's "Utility System." The City will maintain
coverage ratios as dictated by the City's outstanding bond covenants, including any other
indebtedness of the Utility System. In addition, the City will follow a policy that the Utility
System will maintain a debt service coverage ratio of at least 1.25 on all outstanding
revenue bonds and other indebtedness of the Utility System. For this purpose, the debt
coverage ratio is defined as the net revenue of the Utility System (gross revenue less
operating expenses) for a fiscal year (as set out in the audited financial statements for that
fiscal year) divided by the maximum annual debt service for all then outstanding revenue
bonds and other indebtedness of the Utility System. The City will strive to further maintain
this debt service coverage ratio for each separate utility.
The Electric, Water, and Wastewater Funds' total long-term debt outstanding shall not
exceed the amount of combined fund equity.
VII. CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM
A The City will seek all possible federal and state reimbursement for mandated
projects and/or programs. The City will pursue a balanced relationship between
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issuing debt and pay-as-you-go financing as dictated by prevailing economic
factors and as directed by the City Council.
B. Current operations will not be financed with long-term debt.
C. Debt incurred to finance capital improvements will be repaid within the useful life
of the asset.
D. High priority will be assigned to the replacement of capital improvements and fixed
assets when they have deteriorated to the point they are hazardous, incur high
maintenance costs, negatively affect property values, or no longer serve their
intended purposes.
E. An updated Capital Improvement Program will be presented to the City Council for
approval on an annual basis. This plan will be used as a basis for the long-range
financial planning process.
VIJI. TYPES OF DEBT
The City's bond counsel and financial advisor will present the different types of debt best
suited and legally permissible under state law for each debt issue and assist in analyzing
the use of capital lease purchases or the use of lines of credit. These types may include,
but are not limited to:
• Short-term vs . long-term debt,
• General obligation debt vs . revenue debt,
• Fixed rate debt,
• Lease-backed debt,
• Special obligation debt, such as assessment district debt,
• Certificates of obligation,
• Combination tax and revenue debt,
• Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone (TIRZ) debt,
• Public Improvement District (PID) debt,
• Conduit issues,
• Tax Notes, and
• Taxable debt.
The issuance of long-term variable rate debt and interest rate swaps are expressly
prohibited by this policy. The Director of Finance will be responsible for evaluating this
type of debt and will present a variable rate debt policy or interest rate swap policy to the
City Council for approval as necessary .
IX. BOND STRUCTURE
Factors that may be considered when structuring debt include the following:
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• Final maturity ofthe debt;
• Setting the final maturity of the debt equal to or less than the useful life of the
asset(s) being financed;
• Use of zero coupon bonds, capital appreciation bonds, deep discount bonds or
premium bonds;
• Principal and interest payment structure (e.g., level debt service payments, level
principal payments, bullet and term maturities, interest only, or other payment
structures);
• Redemption provisions (e.g., mandatory and optional call features);
• Use of credit enhancement (e.g., bond insurance);
• Use of senior lien and junior lien obligations;
• Capitalized interest; and
• Other factors as deemed appropriate in consultation with the City's financial
advisor and bond counsel.
X. SHORT-TERM DEBT
A. General
Short-term obligations may be issued to finance projects or portions of projects for
which the City ultimately intends to issue long-term debt (i.e., it will be used, when
appropriate, to provide interim financing which will eventually be refunded with
the proceeds of long-term obligations).
Short-term obligations may be backed with a tax and/or revenue pledge or a pledge
of proceeds of refunding bonds or notes or other available resources .
Interim financing may be appropriate when long-term interest rates are forecasted
to decline in the future or to finance projects with long lead times. In addition,
some forms of short-term obligations may be obtained more quickly than long-term
obligations and, thus, may be used until long-term financing is secured.
B. Commercial Paper
Due to the financing costs associated with the marketing and placement of
commercial paper, programs of less than $25 million may not be cost effective.
Should the opportunity to participate in a commercial paper issuance pool present
itself or if the establishment of a program becomes cost effective, the advantages
and disadvantages shall be evaluated by the Director of Finance. The City may
consider using letters of credit, direct note purchase agreements, hybrid
liquidityfacilities, extendable commercial paper and callable commercial paper
with a commercial paper program. The use of a commercial paper program requires
approval by the City Council.
C. Anticipation Notes
Anticipation notes do not require giving a notice of intent. Anticipation notes may
be secured and repaid by a pledge of revenue, taxes, or the proceeds of a future debt
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issue and have a maximum maturity of seven (7) years. Anticipation notes may be
authorized by an ordinance adopted by the City Council.
Anticipation notes may be used to finance projects or acquisitions that could also
be financed using certificates of obligation and have the following restrictions :
1) Antic ipation notes may not be used to repay interfund borrowing or a borrowing
that occurred up to/or more than 24-months prior to the date of issuance, and
2) The City may not issue anticipation notes that are payable from general
obligation bond proceeds unless the proposition authorizing the issuance of the
general obligation bonds has already been approved by the voters.
D. Line of Credit
To the extent authorized by state law and with the approval of the City Council, the
City may establish a tax-exempt line of credit with a financial institution selected
through a competitive process. Draws shall be made on the line of credit when (1)
the need for financing is so urgent that time does not permit the issuance of long-
term debt, or (2) the need for financing is so small that the total cost of issuance of
long-term debt including carrying costs of debt proceeds not needed immediately
is significantly higher. Draws will be made on the line of credit to pay for projects
designated for line of credit financing by the City Council. Borrowings under the
line of credit shall be repaid from current revenues. The Director of Finance will
authorize all draws on the line of credit, as authorized in the agreement approved
by the City Council. Under current state law, a line of credit cannot extend past the
end of the then current fiscal year.
E. Capital Leasing
Capital leasing is an option for the acquisition of a piece or package of equipment.
Leasing shall not be considered when funds are on hand for the acquisition unless
the interest expense associated with the lease is less than the interest that can be
earned by investing the funds on hand or when other factors such as budget
constraints or vendor responsiveness override the economic consideration.
Whenever a lease is arranged with a private sector entity, a tax-exempt rate shall be
sought. Whenever a lease is arranged with a government or other tax-exempt entity,
the City shall obtain an explicitly defined taxable rate so that the lease will not be
counted in the City's total annual borrowings subject to arbitrage rebate.
The lease agreement shall permit the City to refinance the lease at no more than
reasonable cost should the City decide to do so. A lease which may be called at
will is preferable to one which may merely be accelerated.
The City shall seek at least three (3) competitive proposals for any lease financing,
except those related to technology equipment. Due to the proprietary nature of most
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technology equipment, lease financing is typically only offered through the
technology 's vendor. The net present value of competitive bids shall be compared,
taking into account whether payments are in advance or in arrears, and how
frequently payments are made. The purchase price of equipment shall be
competitively bid , as required by state law, as well as the financing costs.
The Director of Finance will ensure any leasing agreement is compared to other
financing options to ensure the lease is cost beneficial. Alternate financing options
will include revenue bonds, contractual obligations, certificates of obligation, tax
notes, and lines of credit. The Director of Finance will be the person responsible
for evaluating this financing source, and will make a recommendation to the City
Council for approval.
F. Interfund Loans
As allowed by the City, the Director of Finance will review opportunities whereby
interfund loans may be utilized to meet short-term financing needs . Interfund loans
will only be utilized if economically beneficial to the lending fund and only if the
rate of return is comparable or higher than the rate of return the lending fund would
otherwise receive by keeping funds in the City's investment pool. Any interfund
loan must be approved by the City Council, excluding any interfund balances
created during the annual year-end close process relating to negative cash balances
generated from activities from reimbursement grants and inventory balances in the
warehouse.
XI. LONG-TERMDEBT
A. General
Proceeds from the sale of long-term obligations will not be used for operating
purposes, and the final maturity of the obligations will not exceed the estimated
useful life ofthe asset(s) financed. Voter approved general obligation bonds will
strive to have a final maturity of twenty (20) years or less. Revenue bonds and
certificates of obligation will strive to have a final maturity of thirty (30) years or
less . If deemed appropriate, staff may present to the City Council extraordinary
circumstances in which longer final maturities may be necessary but never in excess
of the useful life of an individual asset .
A level debt service structure will be used unless operational matters and marketing
considerations dictate otherwise.
The cost of issuance of private acttvtty bonds is usually higher than for
governmental purpose bonds . Consequently, private activity bonds will be issued
only when they will economically benefit the City.
The cost of taxable debt is generally higher than for tax-exempt debt. However,
the issuance of taxable debt may be required or may be more appropriate in some
circumstances and may allow valuable flexibility in subsequent contracts with users
or managers of the improvements constructed with the bond proceeds. Therefore,
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the City will usually issue tax-exempt obligations but may occasionally issue
taxable obligations.
B. Bonds
Long-term general obligation debt, including certificates of obligation, or revenue
bonds shall be issued to finance significant and desirable capital improvements.
Proceeds of general obligation debt will be used only for the purposes approved by
voters in bond elections or set forth in the notices of intent for certificates of
obligation or to refund previously issued general obligation bonds, certificates of
obligation or revenue bonds. All bonds shall be sold in accordance with applicable
law.
C. Certificates of Obligation
Certificates of obligation may be issued to:
• Finance permanent improvements and land acquisitions;
• Finance costs associated with capital project overruns;
• Acquire equipment/vehicles;
• Leverage grant funding;
• Renovate, acquire, construct facilities and facility improvements;
• Construct street improvements;
• Provide funding for master plans/studies;
• Address necessary life safety needs; and
• Finance revenue supported projects/assets if determined to be more
economical than revenue bonds.
To the extent required by state law, a resolution authorizing publication of notice
of intent to issue certificates of obligation shall be presented for the consideration
of the City Council. The notice of intent shall be published in a newspaper of
general circulation in the City once a week for two consecutive weeks with the first
publication to be at least forty-six ( 46) days prior to the date set for passage of the
ordinance authorizing the sale of the certificates.
Certificates of obligation may be backed by a tax pledge under certain
circumstances as permitted by law. They may also be backed by a combination tax
and revenue pledge as permitted under state law. Some revenues are restricted as
to the uses for which they may be pledged. Electric, Water, and Wastewater
revenues may be pledged without limit for Electric, Water, and Wastewater
purposes but may only be pledged to a limit of$1,000 for any one series ofbonds
issued for non-utility system purposes.
The final maturity of certificates of obligation will be in accordance with Section
XI (A).
Effective January 1, 2016 and as prescribed in Section 271.047, Local Government
Code, the City Council may not authorize certificates of obligation to pay a
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contractual obligation to be incurred if a bond proposition to authorize the issuance
of bonds for the same purpose was submitted to the voters during the preceding
three years and failed to be approved. The City Council may authorize a certificate
that it is otherwise prohibited from authorizing:
1. In a case of public calamity if it is necessary to act promptly to relieve the
necessity of residents or to preserve the property of the City;
2. A case in which it is necessary to preserve or protect the public health of the
residents of the City;
3. A case of unforeseen damage to public machinery, equipment or other property;
4. To comply with a state or federal law, rule, or regulation if the City has been
officially notified of noncompliance with the law, rule, or regulation.
D. Public Property Finance Contractual Obligations
Public property finance contractual obligations may be issued to finance the
acquisition of personal property.
E. Revenue Bonds
In addition to the policies set forth above, when cost-beneficial and when permitted
under applicable state law, the City may consider the use of surety bonds, letters of
credit, or similar instruments to satisfy debt service reserve fund requirements on
outstanding and/or proposed revenue bonds.
F. Combination Tax and Revenue Bonds
In addition to the policies set forth above, when cost-beneficial and when permitted
under applicable state law, the City may consider the use of tax bonds or
combination tax and revenue bonds for refunding obligations of the Electric, Water
and Wastewater combined utility system, and Solid Waste or any other self-
supporting revenue-producing City enterprise. Combination tax and revenue bonds
will comply with applicable state law and are assigned the full faith and credit of
the City, thereby enhancing the credit rating otherwise obtained from debt that is
strictly supported by non-tax revenues (i.e., revenue bonds).
G. Capital Appreciation Bonds (CABS)
As prescribed by Section 1201.0245, Government Code, a municipality may not
issue capital appreciation bonds that are secured by ad valorem taxes (other than as
refunding bonds or for the purpose of financing transportation projects) unless:
1. The bonds have a scheduled maturity date that is not later than 20 years after
the date of issuance;
2. The City Council has received a written estimate of the cost of the issuance as
prescribed in the statute;
3. The City Council has determined in writing whether any personal or financial
relationship exists between the members of the City Council and any financial
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advisor, bond counsel, bond underwriter or other professional associated with
the bond issuance; and
4. The City Council posts prominently on the City's website and enters in the
minutes the required information as prescribed in the statute.
CABS may not be used to purchase items more regularly considered maintenance
items, including replacement HV AC units, upgraded plumbing or similar items, or
transportation-related items, including buses, unless the item has an expected useful
life that exceeds the CABS maturity date. The total amount of CABS may not
exceed 25 percent of the City's total outstanding bonded indebtedness at the time
of the issuance, including the amount of principal and interest to be paid on the
outstanding bonds until maturity. The City may not extend the maturity date of an
issued capital appreciation bond, including through the issuance of refunding bonds
that extend the maturity date, except in the event the extension of the maturity date
will decrease the total amount of projected principal and interest to maturity.
XII. CREDIT ENHANCEMENTS
Credit enhancements are mechanisms which guarantee principal and interest payments.
They include bond insurance, lines of credit, surety bonds and letters of credit. A credit
enhancement, while costly, is intended to bring a lower interest rate on debt and a higher
rating from the rating agencies, thus lowering overall borrowing costs.
The City's financial advisor will advise the City whether or not a credit enhancement is
cost effective under the circumstances and what type of credit enhancement, if any, should
be purchased. In a negotiated sale, bids will be taken during the period prior to the pricing
ofthe debt. In a competitive sale, bond insurance may be provided by the purchaser if the
purchaser finds it cost effective.
Other credit enhancements may arise in the future, which may be beneficial. The City's
financial advisor will present these options for consideration.
Xill. REFUNDING AND RESTRUCTURING OPTIONS
To the extent permitted by law, the City shall consider advance refunding debt whenever
an analysis indicates the potential for present value savings of at least 3% of the par amount
being refunded. In the case of current refundings, the City shall consider refunding debt
whenever an analysis indicates the potential for present value savings above the costs of
refunding the outstanding debt. Refunding for savings should not extend the final maturity
of the original obligations, unless specifically approved by the City Council. Refunding of
contractual obligations not currently recorded as an outstanding debt obligation of the City
(i.e., TMP A debt) may be restructured to extend the final maturity if specifically approved
by the City Council.
XIV. REIMBURSEMENT ORDINANCES
The Director of Finance will review and approve all reimbursement ordinances from City
departments, including enterprise fund departments, before forwarding to the City Council
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for consideration. Initially, funding for the capital expenditures will be provided with
existing bond proceeds or unreserved fund balance. Once the debt is sold, these
expenditures will be reimbursed from the debt proceeds.
Reimbursement ordinances must be adopted within sixty (60) days of the date the original
expenditures were paid. Debt obligations must be issued and the reimbursement allocation
made not later than eighteen (18) months after the later of (1) the date the original
expenditures were paid, or (2) the date the project is placed in service or abandoned, but in
no event more than three (3) years after the original expenditures were paid.
XV. USE OF ANTICIPATED BOND PROCEEDS
The use of anticipated bond proceeds will be limited to preliminary (soft) costs, which may
include engineering fees, architect fees, feasibility studies, etc unless a reimbursement
ordinance has been adopted pursuant to Section XIV. The Director of Finance may provide
additional parameters regarding qualifying uses and will review and approve all requests
for the use of anticipated bond proceeds. Departments may not use anticipated bond
proceeds for preliminary costs earlier than 60 days from the date the City Council adopts
an ordinance authorizing the sale of said bonds unless a reimbursement ordinance has been
adopted pursuant to Section XIV. In no event will the use of anticipated bond proceeds
exceed the unreserved fund equity of the combined Utility System for Electric, Water or
Wastewater requests or the operating fund of any other department making a request.
XVI. METHOD OF SALE
A Competitive Sale
When feasible and economical, obligations shall be issued by competitive rather
than negotiated sale. Favorable conditions for a competitive method of sale include
the following:
• The market is familiar with the issuer, and the issuer is a stable and regular
borrower in the public market;
• An active secondary market with a broad investor base for the issuer's debt;
• The issue is neither too large to be easily absorbed by the market nor too
small to attract investors without a concerted sales effort;
• The issue is not viewed by the market as carrying overly complex features
or requiring explanation as to the debt's soundness; and
• Interest rates are relatively stable, market demand is strong, and the market
is able to absorb a reasonable amount of buying or selling at reasonable
price changes.
Bidding Parameters
The notice of sale will be carefully constructed so as to ensure the best possible
bid for the City, in light of existing market conditions and other prevailing
factors. Parameters to be examined may include:
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• Limits between lowest and highest coupons;
• Coupon requirements relative to the yield curve;
• Method of underwriter compensation, discount or premium coupons;
• Use oftrue interest cost (TIC);
• Use ofbond insurance;
• Serial debt versus term debt with mandatory sinking fund redemptions;
and
• Call provisions
B. Negotiated Sale
Bonds issued for the purpose of refunding and/or restructuring outstanding debt
may appropriately be sold on a negotiated basis when maximum flexibility is
required in order for the City to respond to day-to-day nuances in the marketplace
and other complications peculiar to the issuance of refunding debt. Whenever the
option exists to sell an issue on a negotiated basis, an analysis of the options shall
be performed to aid in the decision-making process.
The City will present the reasons and will actively participate in the selection of the
underwriter or direct purchaser.
In negotiated sales, the City attempts to involve qualified and experienced firms
which consistently submit financing plans to the City and actively participate in the
City's competitive sales. The criteria used to select an underwriter in a negotiated
sale may include the following:
• Overall experience;
• Participation in the City's past competitive sales;
• Marketing philosophy;
• Capability;
• Previous experience as managing or co-managing underwriter;
• Financial statement and financing plans that are relevant and appropriate;
• Public finance team and resources; and
• Breakdown of underwriter's discount, which includes management fee,
underwriting fee, average takedown and other administrative expenses.
C. Private Placement
When cost-beneficial, the City may privately place its debt. Since underwriting
and rating agency expenses may be avoided, it may result in a lower cost of
borrowing. Private placement is sometimes an option for small issues that have a
term less than 15 years. The opportunity may be identified by the financial advisor.
XVII. INVESTMENT OF BOND PROCEEDS
A. Strategy
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The City should actively monitor its investment practices to ensure maximum
returns on its invested bond funds while complying with federal arbitrage
guidelines. Specific investment strategies for the investment of bond proceeds are
provided in the City's Policy No. 403.06 ("Investment Policy").
B. Arbitrage Compliance
With respect to the investment and expenditure of the proceeds of tax-exempt
obligations, the Director ofFinance will:
• Instruct the appropriate person or persons that the construction, renovation
or acquisition of the facilities financed with tax-exempt obligations must
proceed with due diligence and that binding contracts for the expenditure of
at least 5% of the proceeds of the tax-exempt obligations must be entered
into within six months of the date of delivery of such obligations ("Issue
Date");
• Monitor that at least 85% of the proceeds of tax-exempt obligations to be
used for the construction, renovation or acquisition of any facilities are
expended within three years of the Issue Date;
• Monitor investment of proceeds of the tax-exempt obligations and restrict
the yield of the investments to the yield on the tax-exempt obligations after
three years of the Issue Date;
• Monitor all amounts deposited into a sinking fund or funds, (e.g., the
Interest and Sinking Fund established under each ordinance authorizing the
issuance of the tax-exempt obligations), to assure that the maximum amount
invested at a yield higher than the yield on the obligations does not exceed
an amount equal to the debt service on the obligations in the succeeding 12
month period plus a carryover amount equal to one-twelfth of the principal
and interest payable on the obligations for the immediately preceding 12-
month period;
• Assure that the maximum amount of any debt service reserve fund for tax-
exempt obligations invested at a yield higher than the yield on the related
tax-exempt obligations will not exceed the lesser of(1) 10% ofthe principal
amount of the related tax-exempt obligations, (2) 125% of the average
annual debt service on the related tax-exempt obligations measured as of
the Issue Date for such obligations, or (3) 100% of the maximum annual
debt service on the related tax-exempt obligations as of the Issue Date for
such obligations;
• Ensure that no more than 50% of the proceeds of tax-exempt obligations are
invested in an investment with a guaranteed yield for four years or more;
• Monitor the actions of the escrow agent (to the extent an escrow is funded
with proceeds of tax-exempt obligations) to ensure compliance with the
applicable provisions of the escrow agreement, including with respect to
reinvestment of cash balances;
• Maintain any official action of the City (such as a reimbursement ordinance)
stating its intent to reimburse with the proceeds of tax-exempt obligations
any amount expended prior to the Issue Date for the acquisition, renovation
or construction of the facilities financed with the obligations;
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• Ensure that the applicable information return (e .g ., Internal Revenue
Service ("IRS") Form 8038-G, 8038-GC, or any successor forms) is timely
filed with the IRS; and
• Assure that, unless excepted from rebate and yield restriction under section
148(f) of the United States Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the
"Code"), excess investment earnings are computed and paid to the U.S .
government at such time and in such manner as directed by the IRS (i) at
least every five years after the Issue Date and (ii) within 30 days after the
date the tax-exempt obligations are retired .
The City will follow a policy of full compliance with all arbitrage rebate
requirements of the Code and IRS regulations, and will perform (internally or by
contract consultants) arbitrage rebate calculations for each issue subject to rebate
on an annual basis. All necessary rebates will be filed and paid when due.
C. Arbitrage Liab il ity Management
The Director ofFinance will maintain a system for tracking arbitrage rebate liability
and ensuring that required calculations are performed on a timely basis. These
calculations will be performed annually and as needed. Due to the complexity of
the arbitrage calculations and regulations, and to the severity of the penalties for
noncompliance, the advice of bond counsel and qualified experts will be pursued
on an ongoing basis. If deemed necessary, funds should be set aside in anticipation
of potential rebate liabilities.
XVlll. RESTRICTIONS ON PRIVATE BUSINESS USE
With respect to the use of the facilities financed or refinanced with the proceeds of tax-
exempt obligations the Director of Finance will:
• Develop procedures or a tracking system to identify all property financed with tax-
exempt obligations;
• Monitor the date on which the facilities are substantially complete and available to
be used for the purpose intended;
• Monitor whether, at any time the tax-exempt obligations are outstanding, any
person, other than the City, the employees of the City, the agents of the City or
members of the general public has any contractual right (such as a lease, purchase,
management or other service agreement) with respect to any portion of the
facilities;
• Monitor whether, at any time the tax-exempt obligations are outstanding, any
person, other than the City, the employees of the City, the agents of the City or
members of the general public has a right to use the output of the facilities (e.g.,
water, gas, electricity);
• Determine whether, at any time the tax-exempt obligations are outstanding, any
person, other than the City, has a naming right for the facilities or any other
contractual right granting an intangible benefit;
• Determine whether, at any time the tax-exempt obligations are outstanding, the
facilities are sold or otherwise disposed of Prior to any sale of property owned by
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the City (real or personal), the Director of Finance must confirm whether such
property was financed with tax-exempt obligations, and if so, determine whether
the proposed disposition of the property could impact the tax-exempt status of the
issue of tax-exempt obligations that financed the acquisition of such property;
• Before entering into any private business use arrangement that involves the use of
the facilities financed with tax-exempt obligations, the Director of Finance must
obtain a description of the proposed private business use arrangement and
determine whether such arrangement, if put into effect, will be consistent with the
restrictions on private business use of the facilities . In connection with the
evaluation of any proposed private business use arrangement, the Director of
Finance should consult with bond counsel to discuss whether such arrangement, if
put into effect, will be consistent with the restrictions on private business use of the
facility, and, if not, whether any remedial action permitted under federal guidelines
may be taken as a means of enabling such private business use without adversely
affecting the tax-exempt status of the tax-exempt obligations which financed such
facilities; and
• Take such action as is necessary to remediate any failure to maintain compliance
with the covenants contained in the ordinances authorizing tax-exempt obligations
related to the public use of the facilities financed by such obligations.
The City shall establish an appropriate record keeping system and designate the appropriate
City personnel for purposes of compliance with this section, and as stated in Section XIX.
XIX. RECORD RETENTION
All proceeds of debt obligations will be separately accounted for in the City's financial
accounting system to facilitate arbitrage tracking and reporting. The Director of Finance
shall include in the CAFR the City's arbitrage rebate liability in accordance with
accounting standards established by GASB.
With respect to each issue of tax-exempt obligations issued by the City, the Director of
Finance will maintain or cause to be maintained all records relating to the investment and
expenditure of the proceeds of such issue and the use of the facilities financed or refinanced
thereby for a period ending six years after the complete extinguishment of such issue of
tax-exempt obligations. If any portion of an issue of tax-exempt obligations is refunded
with the proceeds of another series of tax-exempt obligations, such records shall be
maintained until the six years after the refunding obligations are completely extinguished.
Such records may be maintained in paper or electronic format.
XX. TRAINING
The Director of Finance shall receive appropriate training regarding the City's accounting
system, contract intake system, facilities management and other systems necessary to track
the investment and expenditure of the proceeds and the use of the facilities financed with
the proceeds of debt obligations. The foregoing notwithstanding, the Director of Finance
is authorized and instructed to retain such experienced advisors, agents and consultants as
may be necessary to carry out the policies and procedures described in Sections XVII,
XVIII and XIX.
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GLOSSARY
Amortization -The planned reduction of a debt obligation according to a stated maturity or
redemption schedule.
Arbitrage-The gain which may be obtained by borrowing funds at a lower (often tax-exempt)
rate and investing the proceeds at higher (often taxable) rates. The ability to earn arbitrage
by issuing tax-exempt securities has been severely curtailed by the Tax Reform Act of
1986, as amended.
Average Life-The average length of time debt is expected to be outstanding. Generally, a level
debt service structure will limit the average life of a bond issue (i.e ., a 20 year final maturity
will have an approximate average life of 12 years, and a 30 year final maturity will have
an approximate average life of 18 years).
Basis Point-One one-hundredth of one percent (0.0001).
BBI-Bond Buyer Index. Comparison of current rates for various maturities.
Bid Form-The document used by an underwriter to submit his bid at a competitive sale.
Bond -A security that represents an obligation to pay a specified amount of money on a specific
date in the future, typically with periodic interest payments.
Bond Counsel -An attorney (or firm of attorneys) retained by the issuer to give a legal opinion
concerning the validity of the securities. The bond counsel's opinion usually addresses the
subject of tax exemption. Bond counsel may prepare, or review and advise the issuer
regarding authorizing resolutions or ordinances, trust indentures, official statements,
validation proceedings and litigation.
Bond Insurance -Bond insurance is a type of credit enhancement whereby a mono line insurance
company indemnifies an investor against a default by the issuer to pay principal and interest
in-full and on-time. Once assigned, the municipal bond insurance policy generally is
irrevocable. The insurance company receives an up-front fee, or premium, when the policy
is issued.
Book-Entry-Only -Bonds that are issued in fully-registered form but without certificates of
ownership. The ownership interest of each actual purchaser is recorded on computer.
Bond Years -$1,000 of debt outstanding for one year used to compute average life and net interest
cost.
CAFR -Comprehensive Annual Financial Report.
CIP-Capital Improvement Program.
Call Option -The right to redeem a bond prior to its stated maturity, either on a given date or
continuously. The call option is also referred to as the optional redemption provision.
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Callable Commercial Paper-A short term obligation that is issued with an original call date of a
business day at least 5 to no more than 120 days of issuance at a maturity date on a business
day no more than 270 days from the issuance date. Callable commercial paper can be issued
without the need of bank liquidity support.
Capital Appreciation Bond-A bond without current interest coupons that is typically sold at a
substantial discount from par. Investors are provided with a return based upon the accretion
and compounding of interest on the bond through maturity. As defined by Section
1201.0245, Government Code, means a bond that accrues and compounds interest from its
date of delivery, the interest on which by its terms is payable only upon maturity or prior
redemption.
Capital Lease -The acquisition of a capital asset over time rather than merely paying a rental fee
for temporary use. A lease-purchase agreement, in which provision is made for transfer of
ownership of the property for a nominal price at the scheduled termination of the lease, is
referred to as a capital lease.
Certificates of Obligation -A type of debt authorized to be issued pursuant to the Certificates of
Obligation Act of 1971 (Subchapter C of Chapter 271, Texas Government Code).
Closing-When bonds are exchanged for money (a!k/a delivery or settlement).
Commercial Paper (Tax-Exempt) -By convention, short-term, unsecured, tax-exempt
promissory notes issued in either registered or bearer form with a stated maturity of 270
days or less.
Competitive Sale-A sale of securities in which the securities are awarded to the bidder who offers
to purchase the issue at the best price or lowest cost.
Coupon Rate-The interest rate on specific maturities of a bond issue. While the term "coupon"
derives from the days when virtually all municipal bonds were in bearer form with coupons
attached, the term is still frequently used to refer to the interest rate on different maturities
of bonds in registered form.
Cover Bid-The runner-up in a competitive bond sale.
Credit Enhancements -Credit enhancements are mechanisms which guarantee principal and
interest payments. They include bond insurance and a line or letter of credit. A credit
enhancement, while costly, will usually bring a lower interest rate on debt and a higher
rating from the rating agencies, thus lowering overall costs. Cost effectiveness of credit
enhancement will be evaluated for each debt issue.
CUSIP Number -The term CUSIP is an acronym for the Committee on Uniform Securities
Identifi cation Procedures. An identification number is assigned to each maturity of an
issue, and is usually printed on the face of each individual certificate of the issue. The
CUSIP numbers are intended to help facilitate the identification and clearance of municipal
securities. As the municipal market has evolved, and the new derivative products are
devised, the importance of the CUSIP system for identification purposes has increased.
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Dated Date -A defined date at which interest begins to accrue from .
Debt Burden -The ratio of outstanding tax-supported debt to the market value of property within
a jurisdiction. The overall debt burden includes a jurisdiction's proportionate share of
overlapping debt as well as the municipality 's direct net debt.
Debt Limitation -The maximum amount of debt that is legally permitted by a jurisdiction's
charter, constitution, or statutory requirements.
Debt Obligation-As defined by Section 1201.002, Government Code, means an issued public
security which is an instrument, including a bond, certificate, note, or other type of
obligation authorized to be issued by an issuer under a statute, a municipal home-rule
charter, or the constitution of the state.
Debt Service -The amount necessary to pay principal and interest requirements on outstanding
bonds for a given year or series of years.
Debt Service Reserve Fund-The fund into which moneys are placed which may be used to pay
debt service if pledged revenues are insufficient to satisfy the debt service requirements .
The debt service reserve fund may be entirely funded with bond proceeds, or it may only
be partly funded at the time of the issuance and allowed to reach its full funding
requirement over time, due to the accumulation of pledged revenues . If the debt service
reserve fund is used in whole or part to pay debt service, the issuer usually is required to
replenish the funds from the first available funds or revenues . A typical reserve
requirement might be the maximum aggregate annual debt service requirement for any year
remaining until the bonds reach maturity. The size of the reserve fund, and the manner in
which it is invested, may be subject to arbitrage regulations.
Default -The failure to pay principal or interest in full or on time. An actual default should be
distinguished from technical default. The latter refers to a failure by an issuer to abide by
certain covenants but does not necessarily result in a failure to pay principle or interest
when due.
Defeasance-Providing for payment of principal of premium, if any, and interest on debt through
the first call date or scheduled principal maturity in accordance with the terms and
requirements of the instrument pursuant to which the debt was issued . A legal defeasance
usually involves establishing an irrevocable escrow funded with only cash and U.S.
government obligations.
Depository Trust Company (DTC)-A limited purpose trust company organized under the New
York Banking Law. DTC facilitates the settlement oftransactions in municipal securities.
Downgrade -A reduction in credit rating .
Enterprise Activity-A revenue-generating project or business. The project often provides funds
necessary to pay debt service on securities issued to finance the facility. The debts of such
projects are self-liquidating when the projects earn sufficient monies to cover all debt
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service and other requirements imposed under the bond contract. Common examples
include water and sewer treatment facilities and utility facilities .
Electronic Municipal Market Access (EMMA)-Effective July I, 2009, the SEC implemented
amendments to SEC Rule I5c2-I2 which approved the establishment by the MSRB of
EMMA, the sole successor to the nationally recognized municipal securities information
repositories with respect to filings made in connection with disclosure undertakings.
Access to filings are made free of charge to the general public by the MSRB.
Extendable Commercial Paper-A short term obligation with an original maturity of I to I20
days, but the issuer has the right to extend the maturity of the debt to a maximum maturity
of270 days from the original offering date. Extendable commercial paper does not require
liquidity support.
Final Official Statement (FOS) -A document published by the issuer which generally discloses
material information on a new issue of municipal securities including the purposes of the
issue, how the securities will be repaid, and the financial, economic and social
characteristics of the issuing government. Investors may use this information to evaluate
the credit quality of the securities.
Flow of Funds -The order in which pledged revenues must be disbursed, as set forth in the trust
indenture or bond resolution. In most instances, the pledged revenues are deposited into a
general collection account or revenue fund as they are received and subsequently
transferred into the other accounts established by the bond resolution or trust indenture.
The other accounts provide for payment of the costs of debt service, debt service reserve
deposits, operation and maintenance costs, renewal and replacement, and other
requirements.
GASB -Government Accounting Standards Board.
GFOA -Government Finance Officers Association.
General Obligation Debt-Debt that is secured by a pledge of the ad valorem taxing power of the
issuer. Also known as a full faith and credit obligation.
Good Faith Deposit-A sum of money given by the Underwriter to assure his bid.
Institutional Buyer-Banks, financial institutions, insurance companies, and bond funds.
Issuance Costs -The costs incurred by the bond issuer during the planning and sale of securities.
These costs include but are not limited to financial advisory and bond counsel fees, printing
and advertising costs, rating agencies fees, and other expenses incurred in the marketing of
an lSSUe.
Junior Lien Bonds -Bonds which have a subordinate claim against pledged revenues.
Letter of Credit-Bank credit facility whereby a bank will honor the payment of an issuer's debt,
in the event that an issuer is unable to do so, thereby providing an additional source of
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security for bondholders for a predetermined period of time. A letter of credit often is
referred to as an L/C or an LOC. Letter of Credit can be issued on a "stand-by" or "direct
pay" basis.
Level Debt Service -When annual payments are substantially the same each year.
Line of Credit -Bank credit facility wherein the bank agrees to lend up to a maximum amount of
funds at some date in the future in return for a commitment fee.
Long-Term Debt-Will not exceed the estimated useful life of the asset(s) financed. Voter
approved general obligation bonds will strive to have a final maturity of twenty (20) years
or less. Revenue bonds and certificates of obligation will strive to have a final maturity of
thirty (30) years or less.
Manager-The member (or members) of an underwriting syndicate charged with the primary
responsibility for conducting the affairs of the syndicate . The managers take the largest
underwriting commitment.
Lead Manager or Senior Manager
The underwriter serving as head of the syndicate. The lead manager generally
handles negotiations in a negotiated underwriting of a new issue of municipal
securities or directs the process by which a bid is determined for a competitive
underwriting. The lead manager also is charged with allocating securities among
the members of the syndicate in accordance with the terms of the syndicate
agreement or agreement among underwriters.
Joint Manager or Co-Manager
Any member ofthe management group.
Municipal Advisory Council of Texas (MAC) -The designated State of Texas Information
Depository as approved by the SEC with respect to filings made in connection with
undertakings.
Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board (MSRB) -A self-regulating organization established on
September 5, 1975 upon the appointment of a 15-member Board by the Securities and
Exchange Agreement. The MSRB, comprised of representatives from investment banking
firms, dealer bank representatives, and public representatives, is entrusted with the
responsibility of writing rules of conduct for the municipal securities market. New Board
members are selected by the MSRB pursuant to the method set forth in Board rules.
Negotiated Sale-A sale of securities in which the terms of sale are determined through negotiation
between the issuer and the purchaser, typically an underwriter, without competitive
bidding.
Net Interest Cost -The average interest cost of a bond issue calculated on the basis of simple
interest.
Paying Agent -An agent of the issuer with responsibility for timely payment of principal and
interest to bond holders.
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Preliminary Official Statement (POS) -The POS is a preliminary version of the official statement
which is used by an issuer or underwriters to describe the proposed issue of municipal
securities prior to the determination of the interest rate(s) and offering prices(s). The
preliminary official statement, also called a "red herring", often is examined by potential
purchasers prior to making an investment decision.
Present Value -The value of a future amount or stream of revenues or expenditures in current
dollars.
Private Business Use -Private business use occurs whenever tax-exempt obligation proceeds are
used to benefit any entity other than a state or local government, including non-profit
corporations and the federal government . In simple terms, an issue of tax-exempt
obligations may lose their tax-exempt status if (i) more than 10% of the proceeds of the
obligations are to be used for any private business use and the payment of the principal of,
or the interest, on more than 10% of the proceeds of the obligations is secured by or payable
from property used for a private business use or (ii) the amount of the proceeds of the
obligations used to make loans to borrowers other than state and local governments exceeds
the lesser of5% ofthe proceeds or $5 million.
Refunding -An advance refunding is a refunding that occurs more than 90 days before the call
date of the refunded bonds, and a current refunding is a refunding that occurs 90 days or
less before the call date. A refunding is a process of selling a new issue of securities to
obtain funds needed to retire existing securities. Debt refunding is done to extend maturity
and/or to reduce debt service cost.
Retail Buyer -Individual investors.
Revenue Bond -A bond which is payable from a specific source of revenue and to which the full
faith and credit of an issuer with taxing power is not pledged. Revenue bonds are payable
from identified sources of revenue, and do not permit the bondholders to compel a
jurisdiction to pay debt service from any other source . Pledged revenues often are derived
from the operation of an enterprise activity. Generally, no voter approval is required prior
to issuance of such obligations .
SEC-Securities and Exchange Commission.
SID -State Information Depository.
Secondary Market -The market in which bonds are sold after their initial sale in the new issue
market.
Senior Lien Bonds -Bonds having a prior or first claim on pledged revenues.
Serial Bonds -A bond issue in which the principal is repaid in periodic installments over the
issue's life.
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Short-Term Debt-May be issued to finance projects or portions of projects for which the City
ultimately intends to issue long-term debt (i.e., it will be used, when appropriate, to provide
interim financing which will eventually be refunded with proceeds of long-term
obligations). Short-term obligations may be backed with a tax and/or revenue pledge or a
pledge of other available resources.
Split ratings -Different rating levels from different rating agencies.
Surety Bond-A bond guaranteeing performance of a contract or obligation.
Term Bonds-Term bonds usually refer to a particularly large maturity of a bond issue that is
created by aggregating a series of maturities. A provision is often made for the mandatory
redemption of specified amounts of principal during several years prior to the stated
maturity, which effectively simulates serial bonds.
True Interest Cost (TIC) -An expression of the average interest cost in present value terms. The
true interest cost is a more accurate measurement ofthe bond issue's effective interest cost
and should be used to ascertain the best bid in a competitive sale.
Variable Rate Bond-A bond on which the interest rate is reset periodically, usually no less often
than semi-annually. The interest rate is reset either by means of an auction or through an
index.
Upgrade -An increase in credit rating.