Far West

Work is officially under way on California's $68 billion high speed passenger rail project funded with $10 billion of voter-approved state bonds

New California Controller Betty Yee's latest senior staff picks include municipal bond industry veteran Lynn Paquin, who was appointed senior financial advisor.

Fitch Ratings affirmed its AA-minus rating, and Standard & Poor's its A-plus rating, ahead of a bond sale planned by Cottage Health System in Santa Barbara, Calif.

Proposed changes in how Moody's Investors Service rates $6.5 billion in tax allocation bonds in California could mean upgrades for many Golden State redevelopment credits.

Congress needs to preserve the tax exemption of municipal bonds if it's serious about supporting infrastructure, National Governors Association vice president and Utah Gov. Gary Herbert said.

MBTA completes its funding for a $2.3 billion light rail project in Boston with a $996 million federal grant.

The Internal Revenue Service has closed a targeted audit of Philadelphia's series 2010A water and wastewater revenue refunding bonds without making any changes to the bonds' tax-exempt status.

A well-attended memorial service was held Jan. 5 in Brea Calif., for Nossaman LLP bond attorney Jeffrey A. Stava, who died Dec. 30 at 56.

California auditor's report describes 10 substantiated whistleblower complaints totaling $89,000 in theft and waste by state employees and departments.

Los Angeles World Airport officials said enplanements at LA/Ontario International Airport grew in 2014, a year Los Angeles spent battling Ontario city officials who want control of the Inland Empire airfield.