Far West

A recent announcement that Virginia Mason Medical Center in Seattle will end one of its contracts in 2016 poses certain credit risks, but has no immediate impact on its ratings, according to Standard & Poor's.

The Municipal Advisory Council of Texas is allowing issuers to post their IRMA representations on its website to help obtain information from financial services firms without violating Securities and Exchange Commission's municipal advisor rule.

Poway Unified School District, the California school district that sparked state legislation limiting school district capital appreciation bond issuance, is contemplating a bond buyback and refinancing to retire some of its more expensive CAB maturities.

Stockton, Calif.'s wastewater system revenue bonds have been upgraded ahead of an $79 million refunding bond sale.

Recent rulings from Washington State's Supreme Court to allow reforms of pension benefits are a credit positive for the state and local governments, according to Moody's Investors Service.

Texas voters will decide in November on a constitutional amendment that could boost state highway spending by $1.7 billion a year.

The Treasury Department's 2014-2015 priority guidance plan includes new projects to both update guidance on management contracts that impact private-activity bonds, and ensure PAB rules don't conflict with a new type of arrangement promoted by President Obama's health care reform law.

With California's legislative session at an end, the fate of many public finance bills now lies in the hands of Gov. Jerry Brown, including several tax increment financing bills that could partly replace redevelopment agencies.

Karol Denniston, an attorney known for her municipal restructuring work, has left Schiff Hardin to work in Squire Patton Boggs' San Francisco office.

California Gov. Jerry Brown sent a request to the White House this week requesting federal funds to help communities recover from the recent earthquake that struck the Napa Valley region.