Far West

The first bill Washington Gov. Jay Inslee signed this session may be a big step for the state toward complying with a court order that has been hanging over its finances for years.

Los Angeles revenues for fiscal 2015-16 are coming in $170 million less than projected.

Federal officials expect to have construction agreement with private partner for a new FBI headquarters by end of 2016.

Reps. Randy Hultgren, R-Ill., and Dutch Ruppersberger, D-Md., have launched a Municipal Finance Caucus made up of House members from both political parties who will fight to protect the tax-exempt status of municipal debt and ensure there is a robust market for municipal securities.

Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell wants control of Honolulu’s $6.9 billion elevated returned to the mayor’s office.

Moody’s Investors Service has downgraded Alaska to Aa1 from Aaa.

Understanding your culture is a priority for the Financial Institution Regulatory Authority. While some doubt FINRA can do this, there are steps your firm can take to demonstrate adherence to rules and regulations that have an impact on the objective "indicators" of FINRA's cultural assessment.

Lisa Washburn, the new chair of the National Federation of Municipal Analysts, wants NFMA this year to become more proactive in collaborative industry efforts to improve municipal bond disclosure and address changes in the municipal market.

Fitch Ratings has placed Alaska on a negative watch that the agency says should be resolved when the state passes a budget.

The Internal Revenue Service is preliminarily challenging the tax-exempt status of bonds issued in December 2010 by the Three Rivers Solid Waste Authority in South Carolina to provide permanent financing for a system to treat and deliver methane gas from a landfill site to Kimberly-Clark Corp.