Far West

WASHINGTON — The Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board wants the Securities and Exchange Commission to approve proposed guidance that details how underwriters should treat municipal issuers under its fair-dealing rule, despite dealers' requests for a delay.

WASHINGTON — As both the House and Senate began debating highway reauthorization bills on Wednesday, the associated revenue measures came under attack.

Seventeen muni groups are urging members of Congress to reject President Obama's proposal to place a 28% cap on the value of tax-exempt interest, warning it will hurt the market and that its retroactivity will reverse nearly 100 years of legislative history.

The Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization bill that President Obama signed into law Tuesday did not give airports new flexibility to raise fees used to back bonds, but an analysis by Moody's Investors Service said the law will still strengthen airport credits.

LOS ANGELES — Hawaii legislators advanced two bills on Friday intended to help St. Francis Healthcare System of Hawaii reopen two Oahu hospitals, one of which would provide the system with $80 million in special-purpose revenue bond authority.

SAN FRANCISCO – Standard & Poor’s has revised the outlook on its A-minus rating for California to positive from stable.

The Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association is calling for changes to the so-called Volcker Rule.

President Obama's $3.8 trillion fiscal 2013 budget alarmed the muni market by proposing to reduce the value of tax-exempt interest and other tax preferences to 28%.

California Treasurer Bill Lockyer announced Monday that the state will go to market with its first general obligation bond issue this year on March 1 with around $2 billion of refunding GOs.

San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders talked about his approach to pension reform during a speech Monday at the National Press Club in Washington D.C., saying his reform plan could save the city up to $1.2 billion in costs over the next 30 years.