Yvette Shields

CHICAGO — Chicago’s heavy use of reserves and other non-recurring revenues to balance its proposed 2011 budget triggered a downgrade Thursday of its general obligation rating to AA-minus by Fitch Ratings.

CHICAGO — The Chicago Park District will enter the market next week with $150 million of general obligation bonds to help finance construction of its 10th harbor on the Lake Michigan shoreline and to fund improvements and renovations to its existing harbors.

Kathy Klevorn, the director of management, planning, and budget at the Metro transit agency, is serving as interim chief financial officer following the retirement of longtime CFO John Noce.

Moody’s Investors Service has affirmed American Public Media Group’s A2 rating and revised its outlook to stable from negative ahead of a $9.4 million refunding next month.

Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn on Monday announced $64 million in capital funding to help finance construction of an interchange in the Chicago suburb of Bensenville.

CHICAGO — Minnesota will competitively sell $291 million of water-related state revolving fund bonds Tuesday, followed closely by a $164 million clean water issue from neighboring Wisconsin, as both seek to tap the Build America Bond program ahead of its expiration this year.

CHICAGO — Chicago will enter the market this week with $280 million of new-money and refunding wastewater revenue bonds and follow up next week with $500 million of new-money and refunding water revenue debt. The deals will include Build America Bonds and qualified energy conservation bonds.

CHICAGO — Retiring Chicago Mayor Richard Daley has tapped Martin Cabrera Jr., head of Cabrera Capital Markets LLC, to lead the City Colleges of Chicago board following the resignation last week of Gery Chico, who plans to focus on his 2011 bid for mayor.

CHICAGO — Some states may face a severe pension-fund reckoning, but the problems are manageable if lawmakers act now to address them through a combination of increased contributions and benefit cuts, according to Loop Capital Markets LLC.

CHICAGO — The Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission will take competitive bids Wednesday on a $140 million refunding of top-rated senior-lien state road bonds in hopes of achieving about 6% to 7% in present-value savings.

CHICAGO — Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn on Wednesday announced that $270 million from recent bond sales will go to 18 school districts, including $54 million for the Chicago Public Schools, for projects approved as part of the state’s multi-year, $31 billion capital program.

CHICAGO — Dane County — home to Wisconsin’s capital city of Madison — lost its AAA general obligation rating from Fitch Ratings as it grapples with operating deficits that city officials hope to reverse next year.

CHICAGO — Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty this week signed legislation ­providing $80.3 million in aid to ­designated federal disaster areas rocked by floods in late September and storms and tornadoes in June.

The Southern Minnesota Municipal Power Agency won a one-notch upgrade to A1 from Moody’s Investors Service ahead of its sale this month of $75 million of revenue bonds. The upgrade also affected $600 million of outstanding debt.

Standard & Poor’s raised its issuer credit rating on Rockford Independent School District No. 883 by one notch to AA-minus in recognition of its growing reserve levels and increased state aid levels that have followed the stabilization of its enrollment.

Moody’s Investors Service has pushed Keokuk Area Hospital’s rating on $5.4 million of debt further into junk bond territory due to its weak operating performance.

Moody’s Investors Service has downgraded Champaign County one notch to Aa2 due to its declining financial position.

CHICAGO — The St. Paul Port Authority and lawyers for a group of investors who hold some of its 876 Fund economic development bonds will return to court Nov. 1 as litigation over the fate of $51 million of defaulted outstanding debt moves towards a trial date.

CHICAGO — The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago is conducting its first request for proposal process for underwriters as it prepares to sell $500 million of mostly Build America Bonds before the end of the year to help finance a long-term capital program of more than $2.5 billion.

CHICAGO — Chicago Public Schools said it was pleased with the final 1.2% rate the district will pay on its $257 million sale Thursday of qualified school construction bonds, given a round of negative rating actions and market conditions.