Far West

WASHINGTON — Four more members of Congress have sent letters to the SEC expressing concerns or raising questions about provisions in its proposed muni adviser registration rules that would treat state and local appointed board members as muni advisers who would be subject to registration and regulation.

AUSTIN — The Securities and Exchange Commission’s muni chief defended a proposal to register state and local appointed board members as municipal advisers, calling it an effort to respond to abuses in the area.

SAN FRANCISCO — Crushed during the recession, California’s real estate market so far has been spared from a tide of defaults on land-secured bonds — so far.

ALAMEDA, Calif. — In what has become something of an annual Sacramento ritual, California Controller John Chiang released a letter to lawmakers and the governor warning of the negative consequences of failing to enact a budget that is both on time and balanced.

WASHINGTON — Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., wants to write a second chapter for the popular Build America Bond program, by reviving the federally subsidized taxable bonds to specifically fund transportation projects.

WASHINGTON — President Obama on Wednesday signed a stopgap measure to keep the federal government funded through March 18 just hours after the Senate approved it by a vote of 91 to 9.

The Securities and Exchange Commission on Wednesday unanimously agreed to propose amendments to its Rule 2a-7 that would remove all credit rating references from the rule, which requires money market funds to invest in high-quality and very liquid short-term securities.

Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said Wednesday that he is open to interstate tolling, which could provide funds for the Obama administration’s ambitious agenda, as an alternative to raising the federal gas tax, the current source of revenues for most transportation projects.

ALAMEDA, Calif. — Boise County, Idaho, filed for Chapter 9 bankruptcy Tuesday after losing an expensive court case.

The Bond Dealers of America has announced its new leadership team — Michael Marz as chairman, Larry Bowden as vice chairman, and Jay J. Hiniker 3d as secretary and treasurer.