Caitlin Devitt

Local Democratic officials from northeast Ohio who are opposed to Gov. John Kasich’s proposal to lease the Ohio Turnpike said last week they would launch their own study of the privatization plan.

Nebraska lawmakers are eying a plan that would allow community colleges to use property tax dollars to back revenue bonds for capital improvements.

Legislation that would pave the way for a $1.3 billion bond-funded regional transit system for central Indiana is likely dead after the Senate president said last week he would not advance the bill.

CHICAGO — Cleveland Hopkins International Airport will enter the market Wednesday with $241 million of airport system refunding bonds.

CHICAGO — A Michigan film studio has defaulted on its Feb. 1 payment on $18 million of privately placed tax-exempt bonds, forcing the state pension plans, which back the debt, to make the payment.

CHICAGO — Mayor Dave Bing last week said Detroit has reached a tentative agreement with about half of its unions, which could help stave off the appointment of an emergency manager.

Michigan lawmakers have unveiled a series of bills that would revamp the state's transportation infrastructure formula, raise $1 billion of new money, and create a new bond-issuing regional transit authority for the Detroit region.

The Nebraska Public Power District will price $234 million of new-money and refunding general revenue bonds to capture interest rate savings and finance capital projects at its nuclear plant.

Nebraska Gov. Dave Heineman made a rare appearance before legislators last week, pushing for a $327 million tax-cut plan that would reduce individual and corporate income taxes and eliminate the inheritance tax.

Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder appointed Jack Martin, a former chief financial officer for the U.S. Department of Education, to be emergency manager of the Highland Park School District.

Detroit could be required to cut its income tax rate this year under a Michigan law that was part of a deal to guarantee the struggling city a fixed amount of state revenue aid for eight years.

CHICAGO — The nonprofit health care sector's brief post-2008 recovery is about to deteriorate in the face of myriad pressures, credit analysts warned in a pair of reports Wednesday.

CHICAGO — Michigan legislators will introduce as soon as Wednesday a 13-bill package that aims to rebuild the state's ailing transportation infrastructure by raising $1.4 billion of new revenue annually.

The Ohio Department of Transportation warned it was going to have to slice its budget and delay some projects by up to 20 years due to insufficient funds.

Fitch Ratings last week affirmed the CCC rating but revised the outlook to positive from stable on Pontiac, a Detroit suburb that is under emergency financial management.

Moody’s Investors Service last week upgraded to Baa2 from Baa3 its rating on Ball Memorial Hospital, affecting $101 million of bonds.

Ohio has reached an agreement to privatize its lucrative liquor distribution system for $1.4 billion through a newly created private nonprofit entity that will use the revenue for economic development.

CHICAGO — Less than a year after opening, Michigan's largest film studio reportedly is in danger of missing its Feb. 1 debt service payment.

Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder Wednesday night defended the state's expansion of its emergency management law for troubled local governments and urged legislators to address a steep road-funding shortfall and support a newly created educational authority that will take over the state's worst schools.

CHICAGO — Indianapolis is expecting an infusion of anywhere from $125 million to $400 million from hosting Super Bowl XLVI on Feb. 5.