He started his professional career at the Gannett Newspapers in Westchester County, N.Y., working his way up from back-shop compositor to Senior News Editor. Barnett later worked for Thomson Reuters in Manhattan, covering state and local government finance as a Reporter and later Executive Editor for TM3.com and as Editor in Charge of Municipal Finance for Reuters news. Later, he was the Editor of Municipal Finance Today at SourceMedia. Barnett has also worked for DebtWire/Municipals, covering distressed municipalities around the United States, and has written about commercial and residential real estate in South Florida and the Midwest for both The Real Deal and Globe Street. Barnett is currently Senior Market Reporter for The Bond Buyer.