Far West

Washington voters failed to approve the majority of school bonds on the state's special election ballot, but some lawmakers are working to lower the voter approval threshold.

Sen. Ron Wyden, the new chair of the Senate Finance Committee, has recently voiced some ideas that would favor the municipal bond market, such as extending bond-related and other expiring tax provisions and reinstating Build America Bonds.

California school and community college districts have $37.5 billion in authorized, but unissued local school bonds, according to a report that could influence if voters see a new state-level school bond measure.

Sen. Ron Wyden, the new chair of the Senate Finance Committee, has recently voiced some ideas that would favor the municipal bond market, such as extending bond-related and other expiring tax provisions and reinstating Build America Bonds. But the Oregon Democrat's past actions, such as sponsoring legislation that would favor tax-credit over tax-exempt bonds, have posed threats to the muni market.

A gradual economic recovery helped the credits of municipal bond issuers in 2013, Fitch Ratings said Wednesday, with the agency reporting that the past year witnessed fewer downgrades and more upgrades than 2012.

Republican City Councilman Kevin Faulconer was elected San Diego mayor in a Tuesday night run-off election, replacing former mayor Bob Filner, who resigned last fall amid a sexual harassment scandal.

The rain and snowstorms that hit California last weekend weren't enough to pull the state out of its drought emergency, according to Fitch Ratings.

Two Idaho Republican Senators are floating a proposal to repeal the state's sales tax on grocery food.

Idaho's Triple-A rated enhancement lessens the impact of a one-notch downgrade by Moody's Investors Service to a southeastern Idaho school district to A2 from A1.

A three-judge panel granted California a two-year extension on court-ordered efforts to reduce prison overcrowding reducing the likelihood the state will have to resort to early release.