Far West

Fitch Ratings assigned a AA-minus rating Wednesday to a planned $355 million bond issuance on behalf of Sacramento-based Sutter Health, which owns, leases and-or operates 31 hospitals.

California Gov. Jerry Brown announced he has appointed Paul Rosenstiel to the California State Teachers' Retirement System Board.

The California Legislative Analyst's Office said in a report Tuesday that the funding for the first stage of the state's high-speed system is highly uncertain.

SAN FRANCISCO — An arena in eastern Washington is headed for a $42 million default Thursday after state lawmakers failed to pass a rescue bill in time during an emergency session.

SAN FRANCISCO — A new report from the California Debt and Investment Advisory Commission found that more than one in four issuers in the state failed to file their annual financial reports on time.

WASHINGTON — Broker-dealers from midsize regional firms converged on Capitol Hill and the Securities and Exchange Commission Wednesday to vent frustration with regulatory delays and what they see as an uneven playing field for dealer financial advisors and independent FAs.

Broker-dealers are not obligated to conduct Internet searches about a particular municipal security before selling it to customers in the secondary market, the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board said Wednesday.

State and local governments are urging Congress to allow them to collect sales taxes from online retailers, saying this will close a tax gap costing states billions of dollars per year and level the playing field for brick-and-mortar retailers.

WASHINGTON — States are facing a "big squeeze" of slow economic growth, the need for increased spending on Medicaid and other programs, the loss of federal funds and requests for help from cash-strapped local governments, two groups said in a report released Tuesday.

LOS ANGELES — Though the San Diego Association of Governments has encountered a few wrinkles during due diligence, the agency is on track in its proposed $345 million purchase of a bankrupt toll road from a private operator.