Far West

WASHINGTON - The Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board filed rule changes with the Securities and Exchange Commission Thursday to change the procedures for periodic compliance examinations of broker-dealers in the muni market.

WASHINGTON - House Democrats, in recommendations made to the joint deficit-reduction committee, have called for reinstating Build America Bonds, increasing funding for clean water state revolving funds, allowing the Bush income tax cuts to expire, and imposing a risk-based fee on big banks, securities firms and other financial companies.

SAN ANTONIO - A bond attorney urged colleagues here on Wednesday to do more for "market betterment" by supporting legislative efforts to give the Securities and Exchange Commission authority to develop "a uniform baseline disclosure rule."

LOS ANGELES - Residents of Hawaii's largest public housing facility began returning to renovated units this month. They enjoyed the fruits of a public-private partnership that supporters worry will not be replicated in the future because of threats to the status of tax-exempt bonds that underpinned the project's financing.

Montana’s public employees pension fund and its teachers pension fund are facing shortfalls of almost $2 billion each, according to an Associated Press report.

Hawaii’s Tax Review Commission issued a request for qualifications on Oct. 3 for an economist or accountant with knowledge of the state’s economy and tax structure, in order to prepare a study evaluating whether its tax system will provide sufficient revenues to meet future needs.

Three high-level staffers in Hawaii Gov. Neil Abercrombie’s office resigned this week to spend more time with their families, according to a release from the governor’s office.

Fitch Ratings has placed $1.7 billion of San Jose Redevelopment Agency tax allocation bonds on rating watch negative.

California’s budget situation became more precarious this week after revenues again fell short of projections in the budget.

Anchorage will drop its lawsuit against the Knik Arm Bridge and Toll Authority, which is proposing a controversial public-private toll bridge project, according to published reports.