Shelly Sigo

BRADENTON, Fla. — President Obama and Vice President Joe Biden will be in Florida today to announce which states will share in $8 billion of federal stimulus funding for high-speed rail projects, and the winners will include the Sunshine State.

Norfolk, Va., has completed the sale of $212.2 million sale of municipal bonds, which included the use of three different federal stimulus programs to save more than $5 million in debt service payments over traditional tax-exempt financing, according to syndicate leader Morgan Keegan & Co.

Florida’s Cabinet Tuesday authorized Division of Bond Finance director Ben Watkins to sell $795 million of refunding bonds and $237 million of new debt.

Birmingham’s new mayor, William Bell, was installed Tuesday.

Jefferson County commissioner Jim Carns Tuesday said he would not seek reelection to the seat that he has held for one term.

BRADENTON, Fla. — Lawyers for ousted Birmingham, Ala., Mayor Larry Langford say the former Jefferson County commissioner who spearheaded the ill-fated refinancing of the county’s $3.2 billion of sewer debt will appeal his conviction on 60 federal charges.

BRADENTON, Fla. — Birmingham, Ala., welcomes new Mayor William Bell to office on Tuesday, which leaves a vacancy on the Jefferson County Commission as it continues to cope with $3.2 billion of troubled sewer debt.

BRADENTON, Fla. — ­Nashville’s consolidated government leaders Tuesday night voted to move forward with a new convention center that could require as much as $650 million in bond financing that could price next month.

BRADENTON, Fla. — Facing a potential $1.5 billion shortfall over the next two years, Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear Tuesday night recommended an $18.4 billion biennial budget to lawmakers that calls for a total of $1.53 billion of new debt.

BRADENTON, Fla. — Alabama federal judge Scott Coogler Tuesday denied former Birmingham Mayor Larry Langford’s motion for a new trial.

Miami commissioners late last week approved the sale of $92 million of bonds to build parking facilities for the Florida Marlins’ new baseball stadium, which is under construction.

Jefferson County commissioner ­William Bell became mayor of Birmingham Tuesday with 54% of the vote, defeating lawyer Patrick Cooper.

BRADENTON, Fla. — Tennessee’s Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County tonight is expected to take a final vote on whether to move forward with its largest public works project ever — even though the cost could lead to a rating downgrade.

BRADENTON, Fla. — Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue on Friday unveiled budget cuts for the current fiscal year and proposed an $18.2 billion budget for fiscal 2011 that includes $900 million of debt issuance.

BRADENTON, Fla. — Eight of 11 legislatures in the Southeast began annual sessions in the last 10 days, and budget details, as well as debt prospects, have been avoided by the four governors who have addressed lawmakers so far.

Moody’s Investors Service Tuesday downgraded Spelman College’s debt rating to A1 from Aa3.

The Atlanta Development Authority Tuesday said it closed a $25 million single-family housing bond issue funded through the new-issue bond program using authority granted under the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008.

Moody’s Investors Service last week upgraded $84.5 million of outstanding water and sewer revenue bonds sold by the city of Hollywood to A1 from A2.

BRADENTON, Fla. — The ­Louisiana Citizens Property Insurance Corp. is seeking more than $10 million in damages in a federal suit against JPMorgan and Bear, Stearns & Co. over failed auction-rate securities that the state-run, nonprofit insurer was forced to refinance.

BRADENTON, Fla. — After more than a year of negotiations, New Orleans has filed an amended complaint in its federal suit against Ambac Assurance Corp., Ambac Financial Services LLC, PaineWebber Capital Services Inc., and UBS Securities LLC.