Shelly Sigo

Moody’s Investors Service last week downgraded the issuer rating for the Union County School District to A2 from A1.

Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed last week nominated Jo Ann Macrina to be the new commissioner of the Department of Watershed Management.

Florida Gov. Rick Scott Monday took credit for federal budget cuts to high-speed rail funding that were in the continuing resolution signed by President Obama over the weekend.

BRADENTON, Fla. — The five-notch downgrade of DeKalb County, Ga., two weeks ago calls into question whether market participants can rely on the financial disclosure practices of issuers or their ratings, two municipal analysts say.

BRADENTON, Fla. — Japan’s Fukushima accident has created “unpredictable unintended consequences” that can be expected to delay the approval of new and existing nuclear energy facilities, according to a special report Thursday by Moody’s Investors Service.

BRADENTON, Fla. — Jeffrey A. Parker & Associates has expanded with three new employees who will help the infrastructure finance advisory firm on a wider range of transactions.

BRADENTON, Fla. — Jefferson County, Ala., must restructure its troubled debt or take “other significant reorganization activities,” according to the county’s first audit in three years.

BRADENTON, Fla. — Some municipal bond market observers say last week’s stunning five-notch downgrade of Georgia’s third-largest county highlights the importance of disclosure — or what Standard & Poor’s sees as insufficient disclosure in the case of DeKalb County.

Moody’s Investors Service Friday downgraded the Louisville Regional Airport Authority’s revenue bond rating to A2 from A1.

The Georgia Environmental Finance Authority announced Friday that Kevin Kelly will be the new Water Resources Division director.

A petition has been filed with the Florida Supreme Court challenging Gov. Rick Scott’s right to freeze state rule-making procedures, which is an action he took shortly after taking office in January.

Alabama officials are considering increasing the use of tolls to build roads in the state and replace the potential loss of $150 million in federal funds.

Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley last week ordered 15% cuts in the state’s general fund budget for the remainder of fiscal 2011, which ends Sept. 30.

BRADENTON, Fla. — The Kentucky Turnpike Authority Wednesday expects to conclude a two-day pricing of $112.6 million of new and refunding revenue bonds.

MIAMI BEACH — A bipartisan effort is under way to eliminate the tax exemption on municipal bonds, attorney Rosemary Becchi, a partner at Patton Boggs LLC, said at The Bond Buyer and Bond Dealers of America’s Third National Municipal Bond Summit here Thursday.

MIAMI BEACH — While there are signs that state revenues are slowly growing again in the Southeast, experts here warn that negative budget pressures will persist in coming years as governments struggle to meet their obligations.

The Virginia Port Authority has released a request for proposals seeking firms interested in becoming managing and co-managing underwriters for deals.

The Louisville and Southern Indiana Bridges Authority’s finance and construction committee was scheduled to meet this week to review the results of a two-day industry forum held in February that drew many international firms involved in public-private partnerships, as well as top investment banks.

Standard & Poor’s Monday lowered its long-term rating on DeKalb County, Ga.’s general obligation bonds to BBB from AA-minus.

Florida’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in February was 11.5%, down 0.4% from January, Agency for Workforce Innovation director Cynthia Lorenzo announced Friday.