Far West

SAN FRANCISCO — California Treasurer Bill Lockyer is sending another legislative broadside at conduit issuers run by private companies.

Honolulu’s plans to build a 20-mile elevated rail system appear to be clearing funding hurdles despite staunch opposition from mayoral candidate and former governor Ben Cayetano.

Fitch Ratings on Wednesday affirmed the AAA/V1 fund credit and volatility ratings assigned to the Los Angeles Community Redevelopment Agency’s investment portfolio.

The draft environmental impact report for Anschutz Entertainment Group’s proposed downtown Los Angeles football stadium will be released April 5, according to published reports.

The Alaska Railroad faces a big budget cut from the U.S. Senate that could potentially put railroad bonds in jeopardy, news reports say.

Alaska’s Knik Arm bridge project has run into hurdles in the Legislature over $150 million of early funding for the controversial public-private toll crossing.

In recent years the SEC has sanctioned municipal bond issuers for not fully disclosing pension information or for understating pension liabilities in bond documents because officials feared political fallout. Now the opposite may be occurring.

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service is auditing two special assessment bond issues totaling $64.46 million that were sold in May 2006 by the Wentworth Estates Community Development District in Florida and went into default.

The Bond Dealers of America has urged federal agencies to issue guidance clarifying how obligations of municipal market participants will change if federal regulators fail to finish writing the controversial Volcker Rule by the July 21 deadline — an outcome officials have warned is possible.

LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles officials hope to capture a combined $36 million in savings through two refundings they have planned in April.