Nora Colomer

The Michigan Finance Authority completed a private placement of $226.3 million of bonds Thursday to refund Detroit Public Schools paper set to lose its state aid backing Oct. 1.

Fort Wayne, Indiana based Parkview Health System’s improved operating performance earned it a one notch upgrade into the double-A category.

The Nebraska Farm Bureau says a community college’s $369 million bond question on the November ballot would lead to a massive property tax increase on farmers, business, and homeowners in southeast Nebraska.

After turning around its operating performance, the Kalamazoo, Mich.-based Bronson Healthcare Group received an upgrade of its credit outlook to stable as it prepares to refund $109 million of debt.

The Michigan Treasury has appointed Michigan State University local government expert Eric Scorsone as senior deputy state treasurer for finance.

The Michigan Finance Authority approved a plan to issue $235 million of debt to refund some Detroit Public Schools bonds before they lose their state aid backing on Oct. 1.

Developers of major “transformational” projects proposed in Michigan would be allowed to capture sales and income taxes related to the project as way to offset the costs of redevelopment under legislation that is headed to the state senate.

Ralston, Nebraska’s general obligation arena bonds were dropped seven notches to junk by S&P Global Ratings after the project has struggled to produce the revenue needed to repay the debt.

A lawsuit filed against the state of Michigan on behalf of 14 local municipalities this month seeks to correct what they contend is a miscalculation in state aid that has shortchanged them for two decades.

The unclear future of Detroit Public Schools state-aid backed bonds, plus governance and tax collection issues following the district's restructuring, prompted Moody's Investors Service to shift its outlook to "developing" from "negative."

The already junk-rated bonds of a P3 highway project in Indiana received a downgrade from another rating agency as payment disputes among contractors reached a new level.

Detroit Public Schools' $212 million of state aid-backed bonds slipped two to three notches further into junk territory over uncertainty tied to the bonds' security after a restructuring of the school district.

Ohio-based American Municipal Power Inc. received a one-notch upgrade from Moody’s Investors Service as it prepares to come to market with a $206 million issue that includes designated “green” bonds.

Detroit-based Henry Ford Health System, one of the largest healthcare systems in Southeast Michigan, hits the market with an $821 million refunding next week sporting an upgrade from one rating agency and a positive outlook shift from another.

Indiana will receive an upfront payment of $50 million under terms of a proposed deal to lease the state’s communications infrastructure, including its existing cell towers, to a Canton, Ohio –based private operator.

Indiana State University heads into the market Wednesday with an $82 million issue, a portion of which will fund renovations to its health and human service building.

The utility serving Indianapolis and Marion County is headed into the market with $234 million of wastewater revenue bonds -- including debt it will designate as green bonds.

Illinois’ failure to pass a full budget for a second consecutive fiscal year is likely to widen the state’s operating fund deficit and exacerbate liquidity pressure on the state’ credit position, says Moody’s Investors Service.

Michigan’s economy has continued to improve without helping the fiscal health of the state’s local governments, according to a new University of Michigan report on the state’s local governments.

Chicago got its first good rating news after announcing funding plans for the city's municipal and laborers pension funds, as Fitch Ratings revised its outlook on the city's rating to stable from negative.