Far West

California's redevelopment agencies may be closer to death's door than previously thought after a state Supreme Court hearing on Thursday.

The Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board has referred unregistered municipal advisors to the Securities and Exchange Commission for investigation and possible enforcement action, the board said Thursday.

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority has fined Morgan Stanley $1 million and ordered it to pay $371,476 in restitution to customers for excessive markups and markdowns on municipal and corporate bonds.

The Senate Thursday voted 95 to 0 to repeal a tax law provision that would require federal, state, and local governments to withhold 3% of certain payments made to private contractors beginning in 2013.

Standard & Poor's Tuesday lowered its ratings on $36.5 million of outstanding debt held by the Reno Redevelopment Agency.

The on-again, off-again plans for an extension to a toll road that serves as an alternative to congested Interstate 5, the only freeway linking Orange County to San Diego County, looks to be back on again.

Voters in Vallejo, which recently exited bankruptcy, appeared set to defeat a 1% sales tax hike measure after Tuesday's election.

Moody's Investors Service Tuesday downgraded Stockton's issuer rating to Baa1 from A3 as the city's fragile budget continues to face challenges.

The San Diego city clerk has certified a pension reform measure for the city's June 2012 election.

A crowded bond calendar and the size of Hawaii's $1.27 billion general obligation bond sale next week mean the deal will likely have to be priced nationally to clear the market, according to one market watcher.