Far West

Members of a House panel rebuffed a request from WMATA for $300 million per year of additional federal funding.

In parallel actions on Thursday, the Securities and Exchange Commission and the U.S. district attorney for the Southern District of New York filed civil and criminal charges against Ramapo, N.Y., officials for misleading investors in connection with bonds issued to finance a minor league baseball stadium.

As Orange County, Calif., approaches the end of debt service payments related to its 1994 bankruptcy, it is lining up its first long term debt sale in a decade.

Upgrading San Francisco’s vulnerable northern seawall to protect against earthquakes and rising sea level could cost $5 billion.

The National Association of Bond Lawyers is calling for the Internal Revenue Service and Treasury Department to revise and re-propose rules that would determine when entities are political subdivisions that can issue tax-exempt bonds.

San Diego City Attorney Jan Goldsmith said he might file a lawsuit to keep the initiative off November’s ballot, possibly benefiting a competing initiative that would include a new stadium for the San Diego Chargers.

The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California has announced it signed a $175 million deal to purchase islands in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, a controversial decision that some opponents view as part of a water grab.

Maryland legislators have overridden Gov. Larry Hogan’s veto of a bill requiring ranking of transportation projects.

Securities and Exchange Commission chairman Mary Jo White cited a voluntary municipal continuing disclosure enforcement program for dealer and issuers as one of the commission’s successful efforts at deter securities law violations and change market behavior.

California reported $7.4 billion of revenue in March, outstripping projections in the proposed budget released in January by 3%.