Yvette was a senior reporter, covering the Midwest. She earned a bachelors in journalism from Columbia College Chicago, began her reporting career at the storied City News Bureau of Chicago, and joined the Bond Buyer in 1997 leading Midwest coverage from her hometown Chicago.
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CHICAGO — The recession and market downturn has profoundly affected the funded status of state pension plans, driving up some states’ overall debt levels and putting some credits at risk, Loop Capital Markets LLC analysts warn in new report.
November 19 -
CHICAGO — The Chicago City Council yesterday approved up to $2.85 billion of general obligation and airport bonds slated for sale in early 2010 and signed off on a settlement with a neighboring suburb that ends its litigation against the $8 billion expansion of O’Hare International Airport.
November 18 -
MinnesotaCHICAGO — Triple-A rated Hennepin County, Minn., today competitively sells $80 million of new-money general obligation bonds to raise funds for an ongoing five-year capital program that was scaled down to $757 million from $900 million to help address a budget crunch.
November 17 - Illinois
The Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority on Monday announced that it would likely cut about 20% of its employees to help trim a budget shortfall estimated at nearly $29 million.
November 17 -
Chicago and Bensenville on Monday announced a $16 million settlement that ends opposition to the city’s $8 billion expansion of O’Hare International Airport.
November 17 -
CHICAGO — Kansas City, Mo.-based George K. Baum & Co. last week re-established a physical presence on the other side of the state in St. Louis with a bang — hiring former Wachovia Securities’ head of public finance Amelia A.J. Bond, whom the firm believes will elevate its local position and bolster its national reputation.
November 16 -
CHICAGO — Kansas City, Mo.-based George K. Baum & Co. Friday announced its expansion into St. Louis with the hiring of prominent municipal banker Amelia A.J. Bond, who led the former A.G. Edwards & Sons/Wachovia Securities public finance banking group.
November 13 -
CHICAGO — Kansas City, Mo.-based George K. Baum & Co. this morning announced its physical expansion into St. Louis with the hiring of prominent municipal banker Amelia A.J. Bond, who led the former A.G. Edwards & Sons/Wachovia Securities public finance banking group.
November 13 - Wisconsin
CHICAGO — Menasha, Wis., will call $6.9 million of general obligation notes issued for its now-shuttered steam utility plant next month as officials weigh an offer from WPPI Energy to purchase the utility’s distribution assets in a deal that would help the city repay $23 million of defaulted bond anticipation notes.
November 12 -
CHICAGO — An already cash-strapped Illinois would subsidize debt service payments on $166 million of borrowing by the state’s Regional Transportation Authority under a plan announced by Gov. Pat Quinn yesterday to stave off fare hikes proposed by the Chicago Transit Authority.
November 11 -
CHICAGO — The Illinois Finance Authority board yesterday signed off on more than $1 billion of borrowing, mostly on behalf of nonprofit hospitals seeking to enter the tax-exempt market before the end of the year.
November 10 -
Standard & Poor’s downgraded Winona Health Obligated Group’s debt one notch to BBB-minus — just one step above junk status — due to ongoing operating losses.
November 10 - Minnesota
Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty last week proposed a constitutional amendment that would limit general fund spending to a level equal to revenue collections over the last two-year budget cycle.
November 10 - Illinois
Standard & Poor’s downgraded Bloomington’s rating one notch to AA-minus and warned of further action by assigning a negative outlook. Analysts cited he city’s ongoing financial deterioration caused by a its inability to close a budget gap.
November 10 -
The Chicago Transit Authority’s proposed $1.3 billion 2010 budget received the endorsement of a local government finance watchdog group for tackling its revenue shortfall with cuts and fare increases.
November 10 -
CHICAGO — Chicago-based Roosevelt University enters the market next week to sell $188 million of debt to finance a new multi-use building that officials believe was worth a rating downgrade for the school to keep its transformation from a commuter school to a residential urban campus on track.
November 9 -
CHICAGO — The fiscal strain of deteriorating pension funding levels on local and state governments could contribute to downgrades in the next several years, especially among those governments that entered the recession with poor funding ratios or have little flexibility in their funding requirements, a new report from Moody’s Investors Service warns.
November 5 -
CHICAGO — The Illinois State Toll Highway Authority will head into the market this fall with the sale of up to $300 million of toll-backed revenue bonds in a deal that will mark the final financing planned for its five-year-old $6 billion capital program.
November 4 -
CHICAGO — Kansas City, Mo.-based Children’s Mercy Hospital enters the market beginning today with a retail order period on its $180.7 million of new-money and refunding revenue bonds that will introduce fixed-rate bonds to the well-known hospital’s debt portfolio.
November 3 -
Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon announced the state would cut 700 positions, Medicaid payments, and school transportation funds to trim $204 million from the $23.7 billion budget for fiscal 2010.
November 3
