Today, Seligman Select Municipal Fund, Inc. (“Select Municipal”) (NYSE:
SEL) held an Adjourned Special Meeting of Stockholders (the “Meeting”)
to consider the proposed Agreement and Plan of Merger and Liquidation
(the “Plan”), the merger and the other transactions contemplated by the
Plan, including the acquisition of Select Municipal by National
Municipal Class (“National Fund”), a series of Seligman Municipal Fund
Series, Inc. (the “Acquisition”), as described in the proxy
statement/prospectus, dated October 28, 2008. However, because
sufficient votes to approve the Acquisition proposal were not received
at the Meeting, the Meeting has been further adjourned to February 5,
2009 to solicit additional votes to approve the Acquisition proposal.
Although more than 95% of the votes received to date (representing at
least 66% of the outstanding shares of Select Municipal) have voted in
favor of the Acquisition proposal, the Acquisition proposal has not
received the required vote of 66-2/3% of all outstanding shares of
Select Municipal’s common stock and preferred stock (which vote together
as a single class). Accordingly, the Meeting has been further adjourned
to 3:30 p.m. on February 5, 2009 (the “Adjourned Meeting”) at the
offices of Select Municipal, 100 Park Avenue, 8th Floor, New York, New
York 10017. This adjournment will provide additional time for Select
Municipal’s solicitation of proxies to approve the Acquisition proposal.
The close of business on October 24, 2008 is the record date for the
determination of Stockholders entitled to notice of, and to vote at, the
Adjourned Meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof, in respect
of the Acquisition proposal.
National Fund is an open-end fund that pursues an investment strategy
similar to that of Select Municipal. Unlike Select Municipal, which is a
closed-end fund that utilizes leverage provided by preferred stock,
National Fund does not utilize leverage. As consideration for their
shares, holders of Select Municipal’s common stock will, upon
consummation of the Acquisition, receive Class A shares of National Fund
with a value equal to the net asset value of their shares of Select
Municipal. Redemptions and exchanges of shares of National Fund issued
pursuant to the Acquisition will be subject to a redemption fee of 2%
for a period of one year following the closing of the Acquisition. The
agreement relating to the Acquisition requires that the outstanding
shares of preferred stock of Select Municipal be redeemed prior to
consummation of the Acquisition.
Since November 7, 2008, Select Municipal and National Fund (the “Funds”)
have been managed by RiverSource Investments, LLC (“RiverSource”). Prior
to such date, the Funds were managed by J. & W. Seligman & Co.
Incorporated. Shareholders of National Fund approved a new investment
management services agreement between Seligman Municipal Fund Series,
Inc. (on behalf of National Fund) and RiverSource at a special meeting
of shareholders held on November 3, 2008. Such approval is a condition
to the closing of the Acquisition of Select Municipal by National Fund.
The net asset value of shares of Seligman Municipal may not always
correspond to the market price of such shares. Shares of many closed-end
funds frequently trade at a discount from their net asset value. Select
Municipal is subject to stock market risk, which is the risk that stock
prices overall will decline over short or long periods, adversely
affecting the value of an investment in the Fund.
Fixed-income securities owned by the Funds are subject to
interest-rate risk, credit risk, repayment risk, and market risk. To the
extent that the Funds concentrate their investments in municipal
securities issued by a single state and its municipalities, specific
events or factors affecting a particular state may have an impact on the
municipal securities of that state without affecting the municipal
market in general.
You should consider the investment objectives, risks, charges, and
expenses of a Fund carefully before investing. You can obtain a Fund’s
most recent periodic reports and other regulatory filings (including the
prospectus relating to National Fund) by contacting your financial
advisor or Seligman Services, Inc. at 800-597-6068. These reports and
other filings can also be found on the Securities and Exchange
Commission's EDGAR Database. You should read these reports and other
filings carefully before investing. National Fund is distributed by
Seligman Advisors, Inc.
There is no guarantee that a Fund's investment goals/objectives will
be met, and you could lose money.
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NOT FDIC INSURED
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MAY LOSE VALUE
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NO BANK GUARANTEE
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NOT A DEPOSIT
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NOT INSURED BY ANY FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AGENCY
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Ameriprise Financial, Inc.
Stockholder Contact:
Chris
Moran, 617-218-3864
christopher.m.moran@ampf.com
or
Media Contact:
Charlie
Keller, 612-678-7786
charles.r.keller@ampf.com