Caitlin Devitt

Ohio officials said Tuesday they have decided to move forward with a $1.5 billion bond sale to finance a 25-year privatization of the state liquor distribution system despite unresolved litigation that has stalled the bond sale for a year.

Moody’s last week upgraded to Aa3 from A1 its rating on Rapid City’s sales tax revenue bonds as the city prepares to come to market with the credit.

The Ohio Air Quality Development Authority last month authorized the issuance of $32 million of tax-exempt bonds for a new recycling plant in Cincinnati, marking the authority’s first federally tax-exempt financing for a recycling facility.

Detroit-based law firm Dickinson Wright PLLC, Michigan's bond counsel, announced last week it acquired Phoenix-based Mariscal, Weeks, McIntyre & Friedlander PA.

Cook County President Toni Preckwinkle last week touted the repeal of a 1% sales tax increase that had made the sales tax rate in Cook and Chicago among the highest in the nation.

Ohio Gov. John Kasich's proposal to issue $1.5 billion of bonds against future toll revenue from the Ohio Turnpike won't hurt bondholders of existing turnpike debt, though the new bonds may not be as highly rated as the current AA debt, Fitch Ratings said in a report Friday.

Detroit's recently filed annual audit warns that the struggling city faces substantial challenge from a possible $440 million cash payment tied to interest-rate swaps that hedge its pension bonds.

Ohio will sell $220M of general obligation bonds that are a mix of new-money and refunding debt next week, and $267 million of GO bonds in early February.

For the second time in three months, Standard & Poor's upgraded its long-term rating on the Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Port Authority's bond fund program.

Moody's Investors Service downgraded the Bishop International Airport Authority, Mich. to Baa3 from Baa1 citing falling passenger levels and cuts in airline service offerings.

Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder signed into law a bill for fiscally distressed governments, replacing a law voters overturned in a ballot referendum.

The Indiana Finance Authority finalized its agreement and reached commercial close on a deal with WVB East End Partners to design and build the state's part of the massive bi-state Ohio River Bridges Project.

Indianapolis will start the new year with a $42 million double-A rated bond deal should put the finishing touch on its massive $754 million public safety net hospital replacement.

Columbus-based law firm Bricker & Eckler LLP has hired two new public finance attorneys, Bill Mason and Rob McCarthy.

Detroit Public Schools has released its comprehensive annual financial report, which shows a general fund deficit of $76.3 million, down from $283.9 million.

After months of debate, Carmel, Ind. last week refinanced $186 million of debt for a concert hall and theater. The city's total interest cost was 3.24% on the mix of taxable and tax-exempt bonds, with net present value savings of $55 million.

Michigan lawmakers passed a new law for distressed communities that gives them the option of choosing a Chapter 9 bankruptcy, which has never happened there.

Moody's Investors Service revised its outlook on Illinois to negative from stable, the latest in a series of blows to the state's already-low credit due to its massive unfunded pension obligation.

After considering a lease of the Ohio Turnpike to private investors, Gov. John Kasich Thursday said he wants to keep the asset in public hands and hopes to issue $1.5 billion of bonds backed by future toll revenue.

Gov. John Kasich Thursday is expected to unveil his long-awaited plan to wring cash out of the Ohio Turnpike, a 241-mile toll road that is one of the state's most lucrative assets.