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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WisconsinCHICAGO — As school districts’ issuance of qualified school construction bonds picks up, the market is seeing its first competitively sold transactions of the tax-credit bonds, with several Midwestern district issues done and several more — including one from Milwaukee Public Schools — on the horizon.
October 13 - Wisconsin
Moody’s Investors Service downgraded Manitowoc County’s credit one notch to A1 ahead of its sale of $5 million of note anticipation notes this week due to its pressured financial position. The action affects $21 million of debt.
October 13 - Minnesota
The Minneapolis Special School District won a one-notch upgrade in its issuer credit rating to AA, Standard & Poor’s reward for management’s successful efforts to control spending and for the fiscal boost provided by voters who recently approved a $60 million annual levy.
October 13 -
The Chicago Transit Authority this week proposed a $1.3 billion 2010 budget that relies on a fare hike, service cuts, other spending reductions, and dipping into capital funding to eliminate a $300 million operating deficit.
October 13 -
CHICAGO — Investment banks interested in working on the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority’s new-money and refunding bond sales planned over at least the next two years have until Oct. 20 to submit their qualifications to the agency.
October 9 - Illinois
CHICAGO — Chicago and its philanthropic foundations have established the Chicago Recovery Partnership, a unique union aimed at speeding up the distribution, use, and then tracking and review of federal stimulus to benefit the city and its not-for-profit community.
October 8 - Iowa
CHICAGO — Iowa Gov. Chet Culver yesterday ordered an across-the-board 10% cut in spending to wipe out a shortfall in the state’s $6.3 billion fiscal 2010 budget due to dwindling revenue collections.
October 8 -
CHICAGO — Chicago expects to tap an array of federal stimulus debt programs in its sales of up to $2.85 billion of new-money and refunding general obligation and airport bonds that were submitted to the City Council for approval yesterday, chief financial officer Gene Saffold said.
October 7 -
CHICAGO — Froedtert & Community Health Inc. enters the market today to issue $187 million of revenue bonds to restructure some remaining insured auction-rate securities and variable-rate demand bonds and raise new money for various projects.
October 7 - Illinois
CHICAGO — Moving to reshape the state’s budget office after eight months in office, Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn appointed his senior fiscal adviser David Vaught to the state’s top fiscal post this week amid dire warnings from the comptroller that Illinois faces a cash-flow crisis with $3 billion in unpaid bills.
October 6 - Minnesota
A Republican legislator this week floated a plan to seek a constitutional amendment to allow slot machines at Minnesota’s two horse tracks to fund construction of a new Vikings football stadium.
October 6 - Iowa
Amid a warning last week that revenue collections for the first quarter of the fiscal year are down $140 million, Iowa’s revenue estimating conference meets today to issue a new revenue projection.
October 6 -
Standard & Poor’s upgraded the University of Northern Iowa’s academic building revenue bonds one notch to A-plus in recognition of its strong state support. The school’s dormitory revenue bonds were affirmed at BBB-plus.
October 6 -
IllinoisCHICAGO — Chicago enters the market today to refund $90.5 million of sales tax revenue bonds for savings that will help chip away at the red ink that drove Fitch Ratings’ decision to put a negative outlook on the city’s general obligation and sales tax-backed credits.
October 5 - Illinois
CHICAGO — The International Olympic Committee in its first round of voting Friday dashed Chicago’s $48 million push to host the 2016 Summer Games, an effort championed by Mayor Richard Daley as a means to highlight Chicago as a world-class city while spurring job creation and economic development across the region.
October 2 -
CHICAGO — Underwriters interested in working on Chicago Transit Authority bond sales over the next two years have until Oct. 13 to submit their qualifications for review.
October 2 - Illinois
CHICAGO — Fitch Ratings revised its outlook on Chicago’s general obligation credit to negative, delivering what was the second dose of bad news for the city on Friday following the International Olympic Committee’s rejection of its bid to host the 2016 Summer Games.
October 2 -
CHICAGO — Chicago-based Loop Capital Markets LLC has cemented a partnership with UBS Wealth Management US to provide primary municipal securities to UBS’ retail clients in a move Loop is hoping will bolster its appeal with borrowers looking to capitalize on retail’s heightened prominence in the market.
October 1 - Minnesota
CHICAGO — Minnesota heads into the market with a rare revenue-backed issue beginning on Monday when it will take retail orders on $60 million of bonds to fund its ongoing efforts to establish a statewide digital-radio communications system for public safety personnel.
September 30 -
WisconsinCHICAGO - Budget hearings begin next week on Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker's proposed $1.5 billion 2010 budget that includes plans to accelerate borrowing to take advantage of federal stimulus programs.
September 29
