Shelly Sigo

With an eye toward reducing risk and increasing returns, the Florida State Board of Administration last week voted to revise investment strategies at the country’s fourth-largest public pension fund and to invest in infrastructure projects, including airports and roads.

BRADENTON, Fla. — After a more than two-year search, Jefferson County, Ala., has hired its first chief financial ­officer.

BRADENTON, Fla. — The Georgia Department of Transportation Monday announced the appointment of Sandra Burgess as the new director of its public-private partnership program.

BRADENTON, Fla. — The Orlando-Orange County Expressway Authority in central Florida today hopes to begin retail pricing of a two-pronged transaction — including up to $250 million of fixed-rate refunding revenue bonds and a restructuring of $250 million of variable-rate bonds with the termination of associated swaps.

BRADENTON, Fla. — The Tennessee General Assembly late Wednesday ended its annual session after sending Gov. Phil Bredesen a $29.9 billion budget for the upcoming fiscal year.

BRADENTON, Fla. — The Kentucky Turnpike Authority plans to begin pricing $334.2 million of new-money and refunding revenue bonds Monday for in-state retail investors. Final pricing is expected Tuesday.

Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed last week said he is considering three candidates to be the city’s chief financial officer. The names were among those submitted by a selection committee after a national search.

BRADENTON, Fla. — Florida’s elected Cabinet yesterday expressed frustration at the failure of BP and the federal government to shut off the flow of oil spilling into the Gulf of Mexico and perform cleanup efforts.

MIAMI — With a clear need to invest in infrastructure and a large budget deficit, Puerto Rico is poised to launch its first public-private partnership projects.

Atlanta’s mass transit provider MARTA last week announced fare increases as well as reductions in staff and service in conjunction with the presentation of a fiscal 2011 budget.

Florida Gov. Charlie Crist late last week signed HB 7179, giving local governments the authority to use municipal bonds to help homeowners finance energy-conservation improvements.

The Jefferson County Commission Tuesday agreed to hire a New York law firm to defend the county against a lawsuit filed by Syncora Guarantee Inc. on April 29.

BRADENTON, Fla. — Broward County in southeast Florida later this month plans to sell $220.2 million of revenue bonds, most of which will be taxable Build America Bonds. The deal represents the county’s first use of BABs and the first time it will leverage a local half-cent sales tax.

BRADENTON, Fla. — Florida Gov. Charlie Crist Friday signed into law a $70 billion budget for fiscal 2011.

BRADENTON, Fla. — Florida last week received $66.6 million out of $80 million in federal grants distributed by the U.S. Department of Transportation for high-speed rail development.

BRADENTON, Fla. — Nashville’s consolidated government next week is selling between $575 million and $775 million of new-money and advance refunding general obligation bonds to finance capital projects and restructure outstanding debt to avoid tax hikes and budget cuts.

An analysis of the Georgia Department of Transportation’s first public-private partnership outlines significant economic development benefits for the Atlanta metropolitan area and the state as a whole.

The Atlanta Development Authority’s housing finance division last week closed on the sale of $9.35 million of multifamily housing revenue bonds to finance the Amal Heights Townhomes project.

The Hillsborough County Housing Finance Authority has issued requests for qualifications for bond counsel and investment banker.

Alabama federal Judge Scott Coogler last week denied a request from Montgomery bond dealer Bill Blount that Coogler reconsider his order denying Blount more time to report to prison so he could continue working on a $1 million forfeiture as part of his plea bargain.