Far West

After years of stops and starts on a $5.3 billion elevated rail system first conceived 45 years ago, the 20-mile Honolulu transit project appears to be rolling along.

The Los Angeles mayor's race slated for 2013 is still anybody's game as two-thirds of Angelenos do not have a preference, according to a poll released by the Center for the Study of Los Angeles at Stanford University.

Moody's Investors Service downgraded to A2 from A1 the rating on the Three Valleys Municipal Water District's 2003 refunding revenue certificates of participation. The downgrade affects $11.38 billion of debt.

The California Public Employees' Retirement System is looking for an experienced chief financial officer who will oversee the financial and risk management operations of the $235 billion pension fund.

California Republican lawmakers have called for a vote by a pension committee on Gov. Jerry Brown's plan to curb retirement benefits.

The Alaska Senate passed a a $2.6 billion capital budget Wednesday that includes $450 million of bonds.

WASHINGTON — The Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board is warning it will report to enforcement agencies dealers that redact critical information from documents submitted to the MSRB's Short-term Obligation Rate Transparency system, known as SHORT.

WASHINGTON — Municipal issuer and bond dealer groups support the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board's proposal to bar underwriters from using the "not reoffered" or "NRO" designation for new bonds without including price or yield information, but have suggested enhancements.

SAN FRANCISCO — Washington lawmakers passed a supplemental budget, finishing a marathon session early Wednesday morning after weeks of deadlock.

The Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board on Tuesday proposed rule changes that would eliminate some duplicative reporting requirements faced by underwriters of new-issue muni securities.