Far West

California lawmakers are considering a new bill that would change the state's four-month old municipal bankruptcy law, reigniting a battle between public employee unions and local governments.

SAN FRANCISCO — The board of the California Health Facilities Financing Authority has voted to reduce its issuance fees as it battles to remain competitive with other conduit issuers.

A very public feud over the highway funding reauthorization is set to move to a more private venue, as 47 members of a conference committee prepare to hammer out a compromise on divisive issues in the House and Senate bills.

Washington will sell its first ever Garvee bonds next month as it works to raise more money to pay for a replacement floating bridge to help ease traffic in the Seattle region.

Witnesses representing public power providers who testified before the House Committee on Natural Resources Thursday expressed grave concerns that Department of Energy proposals would increase costs and fundamentally alter the public power market.

The top Democrat on a House Ways and Means Committee panel said Build America Bonds are one of his top priorities for renewal as Congress examines more than 100 of the 2011 and 2012 tax extenders.

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service is looking into the tax compliance of $195 million of lease revenue bonds issued by the Pima County, Ariz., Industrial Development Authority in 2008 for a nonprofit borrower that used them to finance the development of a detention facility for Clark County, Nev.

Moody’s Investors Service said Tuesday a new voter-approved sales tax to support a struggling arena that has defaulted on notes is a credit positive for Wenatchee, Wash.

San Diego hotel owners near the Southern California city’s convention center have voted in favor of creating an assessment district to help fund an expansion of the facility.

A Sacramento Superior Court judge ruled on Wednesday that California Controller John Chiang does not have the authority to dock lawmakers pay for late budgets.