Shelly Sigo

Florida municipalities experienced a "slight improvement" in their overall financial state, and could budget reserves for emergencies now, the Florida League of Cities said.

The Tuomey Healthcare System in South Carolina Tuesday notified investors that S&P downgraded its bonds to BB because of a federal court ruling that could render it insolvent.

The Georgia Institute of Technology's recent announcement that it will offer the first low-cost online master's degree in computer science is a credit positive, according to Moody's Investors Service.

Miami-Dade County's proposed $12.6 billion water and sewer system capital plan is already attracting firms interested in public-private partnerships, Mayor Carlos Gimenez said.

The Virginia Department of Transportation begins a series of meetings to take public comment on the draft six-year work program being considered by the Commonwealth Transportation Board.

Kentucky's general fund revenues declined 2% in April compared with last year, and represented a decrease of $16.5 million, State Budget Director Jane Driskell said.

Wells Fargo Bank N.A. has notified investors holding the defaulted bonds of three Georgia charter schools that they will lose about 22.7% of their outstanding principal.

The Federal Railroad Administration and Georgia Department of Transportation are preparing a study to evaluate high-speed passenger rail service between Atlanta and Charlotte, N.C.

Florida Gov. Rick Scott vetoed $368 million in special projects from the fiscal 2014 budget he received from the Legislature. The final $74.1 billion spending plan is the state's largest.

With market conditions continuing to improve, the Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund should have no problem issuing bonds to pay claims over the next 12 months.

Miami-Dade County is worried about its swaps going south if Congress tinkers with the tax exemption on municipal bonds. The county had swaps covering $953 million of bonds as of September 2012.

North Carolina scheduled meetings in communities along Interstate 95 to discuss the I-95 Economic Assessment, and the next steps toward doing $4.4 billion in improvements including possible tolls.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced Friday that recent federal legislation will allow the FAA to prevent the closure of 149 federal contract air traffic control towers though fiscal 2013.

Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley announced that more than 250 new road and bridge projects will move forward thanks to a $25 million bond program for rural counties.

The Jefferson County, Ala., Commission is expected to approve another settlement with creditors over $105 million of defaulted 2001B variable-rate general obligation warrants.

Gilt-edged Louisville, Ky., provides investors with an opportunity to buy high-quality bonds with combined refunding and new-money offerings of nearly $50 million on Tuesday and May 30.

Hilliard Lyons has added Grover "Butch" Canty as a public finance banker to further the firm's expansion in Western Kentucky.

Three National Football League teams in the Southeast recently ended hard-fought battles for public funds to build or improve their stadiums. Only two succeeded. The struggle was not unusual, experts say.

Moody's Investors Service on Monday said recent pension reform measures enacted by Tennessee "is credit positive because it lowers the state's contributions to the new plan and provides the state with greater control of its future pension expenses."

Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear has signed House Bill 1 into law imposing greater transparency and oversight requirements over the state's more than 1,200 special districts.