Far West

Circumstances have changed and a different approach to Puerto Rico debt is warranted.

The Securities and Exchange Commission has approved the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board's proposal to create baseline standards of professional qualification for municipal advisors.

Standard & Poor's raised its long-term rating to AA-minus from A-plus on Kelso, Wash.'s 2008 general obligation bonds.

The substitution of new letters of credit caused Standard & Poor's to boost the long-term ratings on some Clark County, Nevada airport system subordinate-lien revenue bonds issued for Las Vegas McCarran International Airport.

California Treasurer John Chiang's hailed the state's "robust" economic recovery in a Los Angeles speech.

New York City public advocate Letitia James has filed a friend of the court brief in support of the Securities and Exchange Commission's pay-to-play restriction on investment advisers, which is under attack in a lawsuit filed by two state Republican parties last year.

Legislation that would allow government-owned corporations in Puerto Rico to reorganize through Chapter 9 may face an uphill battle after drawing a lukewarm reception from Republicans on a House panel Thursday.

California Treasurer John Chiang called Fitch's upgrade of California's credit rating a validation, but also a caution to maintain fiscal discipline.

Municipal bond sales in the Far West were down slightly in 2014 as new money issuance slowed down across much of the region.

California plans to price $1.9 billion of general obligation bonds next week, bolstered by upbeat rating reports including a Fitch Ratings upgrade.