Shelly Sigo

Tennessee Comptroller Justin Wilson said Monday that the state and local governments are doing a better job of reporting financial information in a timely manner.

Tampa Bay Water, a regional supplier for three counties on the west coast of Florida, counted on winning $100 million for what it claimed was a faulty reservoir design.

With less than two weeks left in the 2012 legislative session, Alabama lawmakers have yet to consider bills that would provide fiscal relief to Jefferson County, the state's most populous county and home to Birmingham.

Tuesday afternoon the Birmingham News reported a federal district judge ruled that the county's creditors could appeal the county's eligibility to file for Chapter 9.

Birmingham, Ala.-based Balch & Bingham LLP will expand its public finance practice next month with the addition of the seven bond attorneys from Presley Burton & Collier LLC.

Tuesday afternoon the Birmingham News reported a federal district judge ruled that the county's creditors could appeal the county's eligibility to file for Chapter 9.

The way such bond deals are structured for repayment is becoming more critical to investors as local governments continue to struggle with a slow recovery from the recession and deal with the financial realities of paying debt with fewer revenues.

Memphis-headquartered Pinnacle Airlines Corp. filed for Chapter 11 reorganization on Sunday.

The Georgia Department of Transportation said Tuesday it and federal agencies have officially begun preparation of an environmental impact statement on the proposed multi-modal passenger terminal in Atlanta.

Moody’s Investors Service on Tuesday placed the A3 rating on Tampa General Hospital’s debt on review for possible downgrade.

As Birmingham, Ala., continues to plan a referendum on a $75 million bond issue, the local school superintendent is proposing to ask voters for a tax increase, according to the Birmingham News.

Raymond James Financial on Tuesday announced the structure of its integrated fixed-income and public finance division resulting from its acquisition of Morgan Keegan & Co.

BRADENTON, Fla. — The South Carolina Public Service Authority Tuesday prices $575 million of tax-exempt and taxable revenue bonds, much of which will further work on two new nuclear units cleared for licensing by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission last week.

BRADENTON, Fla. — Florida-based Raymond James Financial on Monday closed on its acquisition of Morgan Keegan & Co. for $1.2 billion in cash.

BRADENTON, Fla. — Orange County, Fla., on Tuesday plans to take bids for $116.8 million of taxable and tax-exempt sales tax refunding bonds.

Jefferson County, Ala., filed for an emergency motion Friday to lift the automatic stay in its bankruptcy case so a trustee can use reserves to pay debt service on the county's 2006 lease-revenue warrants.

Jefferson County, Ala.'s decision to skip general obligation warrant payments is yet another example of a troubling trend in municipal finance — the unwillingness to pay debts even when funds are available, observers said.

BRADENTON, Fla. — A proposed tax-credit program designed to raise money for the Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund, and reduce its reliance on the bond market, is raising eyebrows and questions.

Standard & Poor’s last week revised the outlook to stable from negative on Atlanta’s general obligation debt and appropriation-backed bonds issued on behalf of the city by various issuers.

Broward County, Fla., inspector general John Scott said Monday that top employees in the city of Lauderdale Lakes “have grossly mismanaged public funds entrusted to its care.”