Far West

A refunding deal assembled by the County of Los Angeles Redevelopment Refunding Authority triggered some positive rating actions for debt issued by the former Community Redevelopment Agency of Los Angeles.

The Bond Dealers of America is urging the Securities and Exchange Commission to crack down on non-dealer municipal advisors acting as unlicensed broker-dealers by assisting municipalities in placing their debt through the direct placement markets.

The District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority, which garnered attention this summer for its historic century bond issuance, will return to the market with about $350 million of public utility subordinate lien revenue refunding bonds that are likely to price Tuesday.

While finding new revenue sources for highway improvements is indeed a thorny political issue, analysts at Conning feel that the credit quality of the existing bonds remains sound.

Moody's Investors Service affirmed Loma Linda University Medical Center, Calif.'s Baa3 revenue bond rating.

In a major boost for California's high-speed rail project, the California Supreme Court declined to consider petitions challenging funding for the state's bullet train.

John Deasy, Los Angeles Unified School District Superintendent, resigned after months of controversy arose about bidding practices involving a plan to put iPads in the hands of every student.

The mayor of bankrupt San Bernardino and the city's police union both claim the other side attempted to violate the terms of a tentative contract agreement reached in confidential mediations.

The State of Washington sold $934 million of general obligation refunding bonds on Wednesday to garner $137 million in net present value savings.

As California Treasurer Bill Lockyer nears the end of his tenure, he talks about some of the biggest challenges he's faced, and the ones that still lie ahead for the Golden State.