Yvette Shields

The Regional Convention and Sports Complex Authority will take competitive bids Tuesday on a refunding of St. Louis County and Missouri's share of outstanding bonds issued for the St. Louis Rams' Edward Jones Dome.

Illinois Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka said state lawmakers won't be paid next month unless they pursue a legal challenge or override Gov. Pat Quinn's action stripping their pay authorization out of the fiscal 2014 budget.

After downgrading Chicago and its school system over mounting pension woes that along with their long-term debts burden the same tax base, Moody's Investors Service took aim at the Chicago Park District.

The Chicago Public Schools proposed a $5.6 billion budget for fiscal 2014 that relies on the maximum allowed property tax hike, spending cuts, and $700 million in reserves to erase $1 billion of red ink.

The Chicago Cubs won Chicago City Council approval Wednesday for their privately-funded $500 million, five-year makeover of the 99-year-old landmark Wrigley Field that includes plans for an adjacent hotel and plaza.

Chicago Comptroller Amer Ahmad will leave city government next month to return to the private sector after serving for a little over two years in Mayor Rahm Emanuel's administration.

Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton announced his four picks for the board that will guide the state's $455 million public investment in the Mayo Clinic's proposed $6 billion makeover of its hometown Rochester.

The Chicago Infrastructure Trust will launch a search for a placement agent to market a financing that closely resembles a tax-exempt private placement.

Moody's hit Cincinnati School District's certificates of participation from a 2006 issue with a one-notch downgrade to Aa3 due to the credit's links to the recently downgraded city.

Fitch Ratings has stripped Evanston, Ill. of its top credit rating ahead of its sale of $12.7 million of general obligation debt, a ding due primarily to the city's pension funding woes.

llinois Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka and not-for-profit leaders announced the formation of the Illinois Nonprofit Advisory Council to help service organizations deal with fiscal stress driven by chronically late state payments.

The Illinois International Port District, which owns the Port of Chicago, agreed with to lease most of the district's facilities to private investors.

Chicago Public Schools began notifying more than 1,000 teachers of layoffs as the district chips away at a $1 billion deficit

Moody's socked $11.5 billion of Chicago debt with multi-notch downgrades over its mounting pension woes and warned of a potential further hit down the road as a dramatic contribution spike looms.

Ill. Gov. Pat Quinn signed legislation Wednesday that authorizes spending on the $2.7 billion third phase of projects under the state's ongoing $31 billion capital program.

The trustee for $27 million of defaulted lease revenue bonds backed by a Minnesota city to finance a sports complex wants to unload the facility but it doesn't expect to make bondholders whole through the sale.

Chicago O'Hare International Airport's new customer facility charge bond credit established to help finance a consolidated car rental center received a first-time rating of Baa1 from Moody's Investors Service.

Xenia Rural Water District, a once insolvent utility in Iowa that is currently making good on its $125 million of bonds and loans under a restructuring agreement still faces longterm challenges that could threaten its ability to remain on track, according to a state audit.

Moody's Investors Service has dropped Macon County School District 61 in Decatur's general obligation rating by two notches to A3 and warned of further action by assigning a negative outlook over its fiscal woes.

Chicago should declare a tax-increment financing surplus to free up some TIF revenue for the Chicago Public Schools as it grapples with a $1 billion deficit in its fiscal 2014 budget, Cook County Clerk David Orr urged.