Yvette Shields

A five-year-old Illinois law that safeguards not-for-profit hospitals’ local tax exemptions in exchange for meeting minimum charity and community care standards is before the Illinois Supreme Court.

It was a year of disappointing investment returns from 11 local government pension funds in Illinois, according to the latest annual report from a state government commission.

Chicago Public Schools began the work of chipping away at a $215 million budget hole caused by Gov. Bruce Rauner’s recent veto of funds to help cover a $720 million teachers’ pension payment.

Chicago’s fiscal position and Chicago Public Schools’ deep distress are the subject of two special reports published Thursday by Moody’s Investors Service.

Illinois opened its new legislative session Wednesday with a renewed warning from Fitch Ratings that the clock is ticking on a possible downgrade if lawmakers and Gov. Bruce Rauner can’t break their budget stalemate.

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel isn’t happy with Moody’s Investors Service, so he’s trying to make the rating agency go away.

Chicago is conducting a full court press with investors this week to promote a $1.16 billion general obligation bond sale.

An overhaul meant to save Chicago's municipal employees' and laborers' pension funds from looming insolvency won state Senate approval Monday but faces veto threat.

Illinois Senate leaders said they will work to pass by Feb. 1 their so-called "grand bargain" plan aimed at breaking the year-and-a-half old budget logjam that's driven the state's unpaid bill backlog to $11 billion and dragged its ratings down to the lowest among states.

Wisconsin hits the market with its first sale of the New Year to refund $523.6 million of appropriation- backed bonds with hopes of hitting double digit savings even with the post-election rise in rates.

Illinois’ third consecutive annual population loss poses a credit negative that underscores weak economic growth, Moody’s Investors Service said Wednesday.

The Illinois Institute of Technology is at risk of losing its investment grade rating after a negative outlook revision.

Former Illinois budget director Tim Nuding has landed at the Illinois Health and Hospital Association.

Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton offered up on Wednesday a $1.5 billion bond-financed capital package billed as a job creator.

The Chicago Transit Authority hits the market as soon as Tuesday with $325 million of sales tax receipts revenue bonds under a new second lien.

The harmful effects of a repeal of the federal Affordable Care Act without a replacement package to soften the blow would extend beyond hospitals to lllinois' economy, according to the state hospital association.

The Illinois State Toll Highway Authority heads into the New Year with a $1.7 billion budget that includes $300 million of borrowing to finance projects in the sixth year of its $12 billion, 15-year capital program.

Illinois is losing its budget director, Tim Nuding.

Genesee County, Mich., officials say they don't expect criminal charges against former Flint leaders stemming from the city's participation in the Karegnondi Water Authority pipeline to impact the project or its bonds.

The state-backed restructuring of Detroit’s public school system is a positive development for existing bondholders, says Moody’s Investors Service.