Far West

WASHINGTON — House Ways and Means Committee Democrats introduced a bill on Thursday that would reinstate Build America Bonds, the higher small-issuer limit for bank-qualified bonds, and six other bond, tax credit and loan guarantee programs.

ALAMEDA, Calif. — California’s attorney general appears to have thrown a monkey wrench into school districts’ common practice of paying for issuance costs using original issue premium.

Members of a House Financial Services Committee panel on Thursday warned that the Securities and Exchange Commission’s proposed rules would require thousands of individuals, including some engineers and lawyers, to register as municipal advisers. That is not what Congress intended, they said.

WASHINGTON — Fitch Ratings warned on Wednesday that grant anticipation revenue vehicle bonds, known as Garvees, face heightened uncertainty as Congress struggles to reauthorize transportation spending.

The California Supreme Court has declined to hear the appeal of an appellate ruling requiring developers of many community facilities districts to pay so-called prevailing wages for all public improvements, whether or not they are financed with bonds.

Los Angeles voters Tuesday approved a ballot measure to create a lower level of benefits for newly hired police officers and firefighters.

The California Senate on Monday confirmed Ana Matosantos as director of the Department of Finance.

Voters in the beleaguered Southern California city of Bell tossed out their entire City Council during a recall election Tuesday.

Moody’s Investors Service has upgraded Sierra Kings Health Care District’s general obligation bonds to Baa3 from Ba2 after a federal judge ruled that GO debt service cannot be interrupted by the district’s Chapter 9 bankruptcy filing.

SAN FRANCISCO — Standard & Poor’s Wednesday said it raised Oregon’s general obligation bond rating to AA-plus from AA as a result of tighter budget controls.