Yvette Shields

Illinois Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka launched a new database to make local governments' financial information and records more easily accessible to the public.

Moody's downgraded the Chicago Transit Authority's sales tax rating, citing escalating capital needs and an unfavorable political landscape to raise revenue as the city and state grapple with pension woes.

A Minnesota city and investors holding $26.4 million of defaulted revenue bonds for a broadband network have a settlement agreement.

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel unveiled a balanced budget overshadowed by his dire warning that the city faces a "fiscal cliff" a year from now without state action on pension reforms.

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel unveiled a $7 billion 2014 budget Wednesday that relies on natural tax growth, spending cuts, savings from management initiatives, a cigarette tax hike, and increases in other fines and fees to fund new investments and erase $339 million of red ink.

With Ill. Gov. Pat Quinn, Chicago, other local governments, and bond investors all clamoring for action on the state's unfunded pension obligations, the General Assembly convened its brief annual veto session Tuesday with little indication that it is ready to tackle the issue.

Underwriters, financial advisory and law firms interested in working on Illinois' bond deals over the next several years have until Nov. 4 to submit their qualifications to win a spot on in the state's updated pools.

Chicago last week officially unveiled its newest $1.3 billion runway under its ongoing $8 billion O'Hare Modernization Program.

The Illinois Supreme Court last week overturned the state's two-year-old internet tax finding it violated federal law.

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker signed into law a $100 million property cut that won swift passage with little debate.

Triple-A Northwestern University in Illinois plans to offer nearly $600 million of taxable debt to raise new money for ongoing capital work and refund some now callable debt for savings.

llinois and Indiana's plan to build a controversial $1.3 billion toll-road through public private partnerships cleared a key hurdle as an Illinois-based regional planning committee voted to include the project in the area's long-range plan.

The Securities and Exchange Commission is investigating Chicago-based UNO Charter School Network for potential securities violations tied to its October 2011 $37 million bond issue.

Minnesota will wrap up its new-money general obligation borrowing for the year in a sale Tuesday of up to $767 million that includes a refunding piece before shifting gears to financing the new Minnesota Vikings professional football stadium.

Wisconsin is asking financial advisory firms interested in helping the state evaluate its assets for possible sale or lease to submit their qualifications by Nov. 1.

Milwaukee plans to take competitive bids Wednesday on $130 million of school cash flow notes but can delay the deal if too steep a penalty is demanded amid uncertainty driven by Congress.

Posey County, Ind. will remarket $1.26 billion of notes Thursday on behalf of Midwest Fertilizer Corp. ahead of plans to put a long term financing in place next year for its controversial fertilizer plant.

Moody's Investors Service has placed Methodist Medical Center of Illinois' A2 rating on review for a potential upgrade in anticipation of the hospital becoming part of the higher rated Iowa Health System's obligated group.

Chicago plans to begin scaling back on retiree healthcare premium subsidies in its 2014 budget even though a legal challenge to its plan to phase out the subsidies for most retirees faces a legal challenge.

Regulators warned brokers at a Bond Dealers of America conference not to play loose with municipal securities rules, and asked them to report competitors they suspect.