Randall Jensen

The California Department of Finance reported that state revenues rose $5 billion above estimates in the governor's budget mainly resulting from a jump in personal income tax receipts.

California announced it will sell $2.73 billion of general obligation bonds in March, the state's first sale since its Standard & Poor's upgrade.

Stockton, Calif., has shot back at challenges to its eligibility for bankruptcy protection ahead of a hearing set for next week.

Sales of municipal bonds in the Far West region grew by almost a quarter in 2012 compared to a year ago, spurred by record low interest rates that led to an increase in refinancing.

The state Senate passed a bill Monday that would authorize $475 million of general obligation bonds for school construction.

Seattle voters passed two school levies worth $1.2 billion during a special election Tuesday.

California Controller John Chiang said January revenues came in $4.3 billion above estimates in the governor's proposed budget.

California Treasurer Bill Lockyer has set a multi-billion dollar bond sale calendar for this spring that gives business to underwriters and bond counsels he had said would be excluded unless they restructured perceived bad capital appreciation bond deals.

The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission will pour into the market next week with $335 million of new money bonds.

Seattle may sell a bond-financed downtown mall parking garage that has been losing money.

The California State Teachers Retirement System pension fund has a $64 billion deficit in its defined benefit program, according to a report.

San Francisco's general obligation rating has been raised one notch to Aa1 by Moody's Investors Service amid an improving economy.

Glenn M. Reiter, a long-time veteran of California public finance and special district expert, passed away suddenly on Jan. 20 in San Diego. He was 77.

California's finances are in the strongest position of any time in the last five years, Moody's Investors Service said in a report Monday. But risks remain.

Fresno, after much of its debt was downgraded to junk by Moody's, is facing cash flow problems that will likely lead to more layoffs and service cuts.

A bill has been introduced in the state legislature to sell the naming rights for public facilities.

A proposal has been introduced in California that would exempt 20,000 local and regional mass transit works across the state from pension reform passed by state lawmakers last year.

California lawmakers will hold hearings to investigate the use of off-budget accounts by state agencies

Standard & Poor's upgraded California's general obligation rating to A from A-minus in a move the municipal bond market has expected.

Legislation has been introduced in California to curtail the use of some capital appreciation bonds sold by school and community college districts.