Yvette Shields

Chicago’s restructuring of its public safety pension payments will initially drive up unfunded liabilities and cost the city more in the long run, Moody’s Investors Service said.

Chicago’s general obligation rating will remain on shaky ground until its resolves the looming insolvency of its laborers’ and municipal employees pension funds, S&P Global Ratings warned.

St. Louis’ issuer default and Municipal Finance Corp. ratings took a three notch tumble over negative trends and Fitch Ratings application of new criteria in assessing tax-supported debt.

Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner and legislative leaders are shifting away from efforts to reach a two-year budget deal to focus instead on a six-month stopgap spending plan.

While Chicago general obligation paper faces steep trading penalties and rating challenges, the city’s airport paper is faring much better.

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel heralded public safety pension relief granted by state lawmakers who are winding down a regular session that is unlikely to provide similar clarity for the troubled Chicago public schools.

Chicago will get more time to phase in higher public safety pension contributions after state lawmakers overrode a veto by Gov. Bruce Rauner, but no end is in sight to the state’s budget stalemate.

The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago lost a triple-A rating because of the financial woes of governments like Chicago that share its tax base.

Minnesota-based HealthEast Care System lost its Fitch Ratings investment grade rating over its lack of progress in improving profitability.

Rating agencies offered modestly positive comments on Chicago's proposal to save its laborers' pension fund from insolvency.

Political discord among Illinois lawmakers and leaders deepened after House Democrats bypassed ongoing bipartisan budget discussions to push through a fiscal 2017 spending plan that Gov. Bruce Rauner said he would veto.

The partisan political in Illinois further deepened Wednesday as the Democratic House Speaker prepared to call a spending plan slammed by Republicans as phony and $7 billion out of whack.

Missouri-based public finance law firm Gilmore & Bell PC is bulking up, adding two bond lawyers who primarily focus on school district finance.

Ferguson, Missouri will go back to voters seeking a tax hike to help balance a budget strained by a drop in tax collections, legal expenses, and the costs of tackling policing and municipal court reforms outlined in a federal consent agreement.

A school district in Will County, Illinois faces a federal probe of its former superintendent's dealings, including the handling of bond funds.

Chicago’s second shot at fixing one of its woefully underfunded pension funds offers investors at least a small sign of progress, several market participants said.

Chicago would raise its contributions to its laborers’ pension fund by at least 30% annually under a new plan to stabilize the fund and steer it away from its path to insolvency.

Minnesota lawmakers won’t immediately be called back to work to tackle a capital budget and long-term transportation funding plan after failing to act on both fronts before their session drew to close at midnight, Gov. Market Dayton said Monday.

Chicago heads into the market with $350 million of Midway Airport revenue paper, bolstered by an upgrade and viewed as well-insulated from the city’s financial troubles.

The Wisconsin Center District board formally signed off Friday on a more than $200 million bond financing for the new Milwaukee Bucks arena, paving the way for a June sale.