Shelly Sigo

Florida’s private passenger train developer has hired Miami-based contractor Archer Western to upgrade a 66-mile segment of rail infrastructure between Miami and West Palm Beach.

Louisiana, grappling with a $1.6 billion budget deficit that could hit its colleges and universities, has already cut state higher education funding by more than all but one other state, a study found.

The developer of the private All Aboard Florida passenger train expects to complete the project even if it cannot benefit from $1.75 billion in tax exempt private activity bonds, according to documents filed in federal court.

Jefferson County, Ala., officials traveled to New York to meet the “financial community” and rating agencies on the county’s progress since existing bankruptcy.

An Atlanta City Council committee will hold a May 18 public hearing and virtual town hall meeting on the $1.97 billion fiscal 2016 budget to ask residents about their thoughts on spending priorities.

Standard & Poor's on May 5 revised its outlook to negative on Atlanta’s Morehouse College bonds due to declining enrollment and increasing operating pressure.

The Tennessee State School Bond Authority closed on a bond offering May 7 that saved the state $12.9 million in addition to financing construction projects at colleges and universities.

Florida Supreme Court justices heard oral arguments May 7 in two appeals challenging the Florida Development Finance Corp.’s validation of $2 billion in bonds for a PACE program; one appeal says Florida’s PACE law is unconstitutional.

Attorneys for All Aboard Florida told a federal judge that the private passenger train owners could close on $1.75 billion in tax exempt private activity bonds around June 8.

Madison County, Miss., disputes its obligation to backstop some public improvement district bonds in a lawsuit with Radian Asset Assurance Inc.

Louisiana plans to move forward with the competitive issuance of $335 million in general obligation bonds amid ongoing questions surrounding the state’s budget deficit.

The North Carolina DOT picked a consortium headed by Cintra Infraestructuras S.A. to build a 26-mile express toll lane project.

Standard & Poor's upgraded Jefferson County, Ala.'s limited-obligation school warrants two notches to A-minus from BBB.

Louisiana State University emphasized that it is not filing for bankruptcy; the school was criticized for a clumsy explanation of its financial position, leading to cancellation of a bond deal.

Uncertainty about Louisiana's higher education funding led Standard & Poor's to place five institutions on negative CreditWatch on April 28.

Jacksonville, Fla., will hire a forensic specialist to audit the city's severely underfunded Police and Fire Pension Fund.

After 42 years at Moody's Investors Service, John Incorvaia is retiring after spending most of his analytical career covering Florida. April 30 is his last day on the job.

A second federal lawsuit has been filed challenging the private activity bond financing for the All Aboard Florida train project; the latest suit comes from Martin County, Fla.

The Florida House of Representatives abruptly ended their session Tuesday afternoon following a standoff with the Senate over Medicaid expansion. The session was to run through Friday.

The Athens-Clarke County Unified Government in Georgia won two rating upgrades ahead of pricing $208 million of water and sewerage revenue bonds.