Far West

SAN FRANCISCO — Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa’s plan to lease city garages to private investors to raise money that would close a year-end budget hole and defease bonds is on the rocks.

ALAMEDA, Calif. — Hawaii’s new finance director plans to review the way the state picks bond underwriters.

WASHINGTON — As a House Judiciary Committee panel meets Monday to hold a hearing on public pensions and the need for state bankruptcy protection, pension and muni bond experts are opposing a recently introduced bill that would prohibit them from issuing tax-exempt bonds unless they subject their pension plans to federal oversight and regulation.

SAN FRANCISCO — San Diego has shifted $215 million of future debt payments for its ballpark to its redevelopment agency in an effort to skirt the governor’s proposal to help fix a budget crisis by closing RDAs.

California Controller John Chiang Tuesday unveiled a package of bills he is sponsoring to provide greater financial oversight of and assistance to cities, counties, and special districts.

SAN FRANCISCO — Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber is banging the drum for a program to boost energy efficiency in schools, possibly paid for with bonds backed by the cost savings.

WASHINGTON — House panel members on Wednesday opposed federal bailouts for municipal governments and were reluctant to provide states with bankruptcy protection, but they seemed to support requiring improved public pension fund disclosure.

ALAMEDA, Calif. — California Gov. Jerry Brown said Wednesday that he’s killing the state’s plan to sell 11 state office buildings to private investors and lease them back.

House Republican leaders are calling for a bill to be introduced next week that would temporarily extend transportation programs, John Mica, R-Fla., chairman of the House Transportation Committee, said at a conference here on Tuesday.

ALAMEDA, Calif. — California redevelopment agencies are paying through the nose in a rush to access the bond market ahead of a proposal to shut them down, Treasurer Bill Lockyer told a state Senate committee Wednesday.