Caitlin Devitt

CHICAGO — Fitch Ratings stripped $9.3 million of special-assessment revenue bonds from the Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority of their investment-grade rating Wednesday.

CHICAGO — Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland is resuming a push to install 17,500 slot machines at horseracing tracks to generate millions in new money for the state budget.

CHICAGO — With an expanded PACE program now in place, some Ohio issuers are saying they will continue to pursue commercial PACE financing despite greater federal scrutiny of the program’s residential side.

CHICAGO — The Detroit City Council heard testimony but did not vote Tuesday on a measure that would ask voters whether they want to abolish the Detroit Public School Board and place the troubled school system under mayoral control.

CHICAGO — Indianapolis’ Capital Improvement Board will vote Friday on a plan to pay the Indiana Pacers $33.5 million over the next three years to keep the professional basketball team in town.

Nebraska’s general fund receipts for June totaled $309 million, $35 million below original projections. For fiscal 2010 so far, state receipts are $76 million below projections, the Revenue Department said last week.

Gov. Jennifer Granholm last week said she would stop pushing a proposal to lower Michigan’s sales tax while extending it to cover some services due to lawmakers’ resistance.

The South Bend Redevelopment Commission last week approved a plan to pay off $2.3 million of tax-increment financing bonds early and is poised to pay off another $3.3 million of economic development bonds.

CHICAGO — Cincinnati today will take institutional orders on $70 million of general obligation, unlimited-tax debt that is part of the city’s regular borrowing to finance capital projects.

CHICAGO — A developer’s default on $14.1 million of special assessment bonds in Wood County, Ohio, has sparked a dispute between the bond trustee and the county treasurer over the tax-lien sale of the property.

CHICAGO — Columbus, Ohio-based Huntington Investment Co. has hired Timothy Reidy as the new director of its Cleveland public finance office.

CHICAGO — Minnesota-based law firm Briggs and Morgan PA, one of the state’s top bond counsels, has hired attorney Catherine ­Courtney.

CHICAGO — Ohio began its new fiscal year with revenues down only slightly from expectations and a surplus of just under $140 million, but the good news ends there as the state is bracing for a deficit that could be higher than $8 billion as it heads into a new biennial budget next year.

The Central Ohio Solid Waste Authority is expected to issue $15.5 million of solid-waste facilities improvement bonds this week.

Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm last week signed off on a new tax-free Renaissance Zone in the town of Holland for a new automobile battery plant.

The board of Detroit’s main convention center last week approved a plan for a series of short-term improvements and a scaled-back expansion that is expected to cost about $20 million.

CHICAGO — Illinois’ triple-A rated Lake County Forest Preserve District Thursday will competitively sell $40 million of taxable general obligation Build America Bonds.

CHICAGO — Detroit Public Schools is facing a $363 million structural deficit — with officials warning it could get worse — as the district begins a new fiscal year today.

CHICAGO — Michigan lawmakers will fail to meet their self-imposed deadline of July 1 to complete a fiscal 2011 budget.

Standard & Poor’s upgraded to A-plus from A its long-term rating on the Columbus State Community College District following steady improvements in operations and enrollment.