Public Finance leaders discuss expectations for the industry. Texas was number 2 on the top three issuers in the country in 2025, breaking issueance records in the state — what do we expect this year? How much credit pressure does the federal funding pullback put on issuers? What priorities should the Texas public finance industry focus on in 2026 and beyond?
How increased use of AI along with the data centers needed to power it, population growth, shifting weather patterns, and other concerns are expected to place considerable strain on already aging Texas power infrastructure. What’s at stake and how is the industry addressing it all?
The concentration of the retail investor has grown in a market that often struggles with liquidity. How are the various demand components of the market shifting? How will the growth of SMAs and ETFs, as well as the dearth of crossover buyers, affect the public finance industry in 2026? Are there new opportunities for hedging munis with the growth of ETFs? What do investors want and how is the sell-side adapting to provide for it?
Henry Cisneros, former HUD Secretary and San Antonio Mayor, will sit down with Austin Mayor Kirk Watson for a conversation about the city’s growth expectations, challenges and opportunities for cities across Texas and how the municipal market plays a key role in financing infrastructure.
Hear from leading issuers in Texas and beyond on how they see 2026 playing out for their states and localities? What are the biggest challenges and opportunities ahead for the public finance industry in their eyes? How can issuers navigate the ever-shifting winds out of Austin and Washington?
How are Texas issuers approaching resilience in the face of more frequent severe weather events and potential cuts to FEMA? How are issuers meeting the growing needs for upgrades of existing infrastructure along with investments in new projects amid a higher-cost environment? How is the insurance market faring in Texas and how is that impacting issuers?
With the introduction of the Texas Education Freedom Accounts, a $1 billion private school voucher program that begins in the 2026-27 school year, K-12 and charter schools are facing big changes. What’s at stake for public education in the state?
With federal funding cuts, immigration policy shifts and legal threats from Washington compounding with enrollment dropping, how is the higher education sector navigating these challenges while remaining competitive globally?
How are the state’s ports handling the policy shifts, changing geopolitical and global economic conditions?
As the municipal market navigates the world of technology and AI, panelists explore what tech and AI solutions are possible/being developed for issuers, the buy- and sell-sides, and other market participants. Perspective on what AI is — and is not — and how it is expected to impact the muni market? How does technology aid in pricing and disclosure? How can technology help the industry do more with less?
As many regions across the U.S. face housing shortages, Texas is no exception. How the muni market can aid the shortfalls and needs? Do workforce housing deals work for Texas? What about TIFIA and Railroad Rehabilitation and Improvement Financing loans for real estate developments? How is the insurance market in the state amid the national pullback? With the new threshold test for bond-financed housing credit properties lowered to 25%, allowing additional buildings financed with tax-exempt bonds to qualify for housing credits, how are issuers preparing for new housing opportunities?
From droughts to the devastating flooding Texas Hill Country experienced last year, to lead pipe removal and quality controls, how are issuers in the state managing the myriad of challenges they face and what tools are they finding to fund water infrastructure projects, including SRFs.
As the industry grapples with the retirements and retrenchment, how does it entice talented younger individuals to enter the space? Where does the public finance industry fit into the tech evolution? How do we encourage public service employment in a time of political upheaval? How can public finance stay competitive in the financial services industry at large?
How are the region’s airports, roads and transit faring as the growth of Texas continues? With massive upgrades needed and demand growing, how is the state managing moving people?
As cyber threats mount across the public finance industry, our panel of experts will discuss the severity of what the industry faces, what kinds of best practices for guarding against them exist – or should exist – and why all players in the industry need to coalesce around common goals.
From what to disclose and how to insure against threats, all parties – issuers, bankers, advisors, investors and trustees – need to better prepare for the expected onslaught of threats.
