City Gives Merrill The Boot In Multi-Million $ Municipal Bond Peddling Deal Amidst Charges Of BofA's Failure To Modify Mortgages For Its Residents

In Sunrise, Florida, the South Florida Sun Sentinel reports:

• It pays to be nice. Just ask Mayor Roger Wishner, who helped kill a multimillion-dollar city partnership with Merrill Lynch because parent company Bank of America has been accused of being mean to the little guy. Two weeks ago, city commissioners voted to hire Merrill Lynch to help sell up to $103 million in bonds. On Monday, commissioners changed their minds and went with Goldman Sachs instead. Why the change of heart? Bank of America, which acquired Merrill Lynch in January, has taken heat recently for not being very helpful to customers needing help renegotiating their mortgages to avoid foreclosure.

For the story, see Sunrise to Bank of America: Clean up your act.

See also, WFOR-TV Channel 4: Sunrise Cancels Bank Of America Deal On Bond Sales:

• Wishner said he would be willing to work with Bank of America in the future, however, he said he first wants to see the company do more to assist homeowners. Wishner said a starting point would be to create a specific office in South Florida with a point person to help struggling homeowners.