Paul Burton

Standard & Poor's lowered its rating on $700 million of Queens Ballpark bonds, used to build the New York Mets' Citi Field, one notch to BB partly because of concerns the team will continue to lose.

Highmark, Inc. and state lawmakers are pushing the Pennsylvania Insurance Department to step up its review of the West Penn Allegheny Health System affiliation, but the agency wants more details.

New York City and two of its financing authorities have announced the selection of underwriting syndicates, following a request-for-proposals process.

Providence's agreement with police unions for pension benefit reductions is a credit positive for Rhode Island's struggling capital city, according to Moody's.

Joe Lhota's departure as New York MTA chairman creates uncertainty at one of the largest issuers in the municipal marketplace as it confronts problems that include high turnover in its top job.

Dauphin County, Pa., expects to make a $1.5 million bond debt payment for Harrisburg University for the second straight year.

Moody's Investors Service downgraded the general obligation bond rating of East Pennsboro Township two notches to Baa2 from A3.

Moody's Investors Service revised its outlook for Doylestown Hospital, Pa. to stable from negative while affirming its Baa2 long-term rating.

A three-judge panel in Lackawanna County rejected Scranton, Pa.'s request to impose a 1% commuter tax, saying the distressed city wasn't persuasive enough.

New York City Comptroller John Liu called for an end to property-tax breaks and other concessions to large corporations, including Madison Square Garden.

Joseph Lhota announced his resignation as Metropolitan Transportation Authority chairman and said he would consider running for New York City mayor.

The finance committee of New York's MTA approved the borrowing of up to $2.5 billion in long-term bonds to cover Hurricane Sandy-related repair costs.

Rhode Island General Treasurer Gina Raimondo announced the hiring of Anne-Marie Fink as the state's chief investment officer and deputy treasurer of finance.

New York City's budget is balanced for the current fiscal year, but dark shadows hover, according to an analysis by state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli.

New York's Metropolitan Transportation Authority should increase its base fare to $2.50 from $2.25 among other changes, Chairman Joseph Lhota told the board.

Connecticut's persistent budget deficits will be the subject of a special legislative session in which Gov. Dannel Malloy will ask for budget cuts, not long after authorizing Treasurer Denise Nappier to tap an emergency cash flow credit line.

The leader of Harrisburg, Pa.'s regional chamber of commerce resigned from the city's municipal financial recovery advisory committee amid backlash over a video lampooning Harrisburg's debt crisis.

New York City's sale of $1 billion of tax-exempt refunding general obligation bonds on Tuesday represented an increase of 18% from the expected $850 million par amount.

Massachusetts Treasurer Steven Grossman named Jessie Saintcyr as deputy treasurer, making his senior human resources official, the daughter of Haitian immigrants, one of his top five advisors.

Pennsylvania Education Commissioner Ron Tomalis named Gene Veno chief recovery officer for Harrisburg's schools in what could be a prelude to receivership.