Yvette Shields

The Illinois State Toll Highway Authority kicks off its New Year with a long planned $400 million refunding that will be followed in late winter with new-money borrowing to support an ongoing $12 billion program.

Wisconsin will take bids on $237 million of general obligation bonds Tuesday against a backdrop of improving state revenues Gov. Scott Walker wants to return most to taxpayers.

Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon proposed a fiscal 2015 budget that would increase education spending $500 million and authorize $200 million in appropriation supported bond borrowing for a mental health facility.

The Minnesota Supreme Court refused to block the state's sale of $468 million of general fund appropriation-backed bonds to help pay for the new $975 million Minnesota Vikings NFL football stadium.

With a better Fitch outlook, Regional Transportation Authority of Illinois will take bids on $106 million of general obligation bonds with officials hoping to benefit from an improving market for Illinois paper.

Moody's Investors Service has revised its outlook to stable from negative on Springfield, Ill.'s A1 rating.

Standard & Poor's signaled that Fairview Health Services in Minnesota could win an upgrade over the next two years due to its strong business position and improved governance and management.

Lawyers for Minnesota Management and Budget and for citizens challenging the state's $468 million bond issue for a new Vikings football stadium laid out their cases with the Minnesota Supreme Court.

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker plans to outline tax cut proposals in his state of the state proposal he said are affordable due to new revenue estimates that project a more than $900 million surplus in the current budget

Lawyers for Minnesota and for citizens challenging the legality of the state's $468 million appropriation-backed bond sale for the Vikings football stadium faced a Thursday deadline to make their case for a Minnesota Supreme Court review.

Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton is promoting a nearly $1 billion capital bonding package as a means to create more than 27,000 jobs while investing in statewide infrastructure improvements.

The Chicago Infrastructure Trust's inaugural financing had to shrink to $13 million from $27.5 million and alter other terms to reduce investor risk in order to secure a lender.

After nearly 40 years practicing law at Chapman and Cutler LLP, James Spiotto is leaving the courtroom to launch a new Chapman-owned consulting business to focus on municipal finance and Chapter 9 bankruptcy.

Lombard, Ill. faces the possible loss of its investment grade ratings for failing to honor its appropriation commitments and triggering payment default on hotel conference center bonds.

Illinois released new pools of underwriting, financial advisory, and legal firms for bond sales over the next two years with the most notable change being the state's selection of a new sole bond and disclosure counsel.

Illinois finance officials plan to hit the road later this month to meet with investors and rating analysts ahead of a $1 billion general obligation sale set for early next month.

Minnesota delayed $468 million of state general fund appropriation bonds for a new Minnesota Vikings football stadium due to the 11th hour filing of litigation that challenges the financing arrangement.

The Minneapolis College of Arts and Design's growing enrollment numbers and improved cash flows and debt service coverage prompted Moody's Investors Service to revise its outlook to stable from negative.

Two ratings agencies have revised their outlooks on Iowa-based Mercy Medical Center's A level ratings to negative due to the hospital's operating struggles.

The triple-A Minneapolis-St. Paul Metropolitan Council is readying $194 million of general obligation notes and bonds for competitive sale Tuesday.