Far West

Oregon has become the prime field test for a municipal movement that rewards banks for investing in their communities.

ALAMEDA, Calif. — Moody’s Investors Service upgraded Alaska to Aaa Monday, as the state prepares to sell $200 million of general obligation bonds.

The National Association of Bond Lawyers is warning the Securities and Exchange Commission that applying its asset-backed securities rules to municipal bonds, as proposed, would violate existing law and run contrary to congressional intent.

The Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency disclosed Friday that it is complying with an additional information request from the Internal Revenue Service as part of the IRS’ ongoing review of the agency’s student-loan bonds.

Ambac Assurance Corp. is close to reaching a settlement that would wipe away more than $500 million of exposure to revenue bonds issued by the Nevada Department of Business and Industry for the Las Vegas Monorail, according to its regulator Thursday.

SAN FRANCISCO — The Asian Art Museum is struggling to recover its financial footing while renegotiating its debt with creditors.

WASHINGTON — The National Association of Bond Lawyers is warning the Securities and Exchange Commission that applying its asset-backed securities rules to municipal bonds, as proposed, would violate existing law and run contrary to congressional intent.

ALAMEDA, Calif. — Washington state economist Arun Raha made life difficult for state budget writers last week by cutting more than $1 billion from his forecast for general fund revenue.

California, New York, and Illinois are making a play for more than $1.2 billion of high-speed rail funding that was awarded to two Midwestern states whose Republican governors-elect plan to reject the grants.

ALAMEDA, Calif. — Facing soaring yields in the tax-exempt bond market, California chopped more than $1 billion from its tax-exempt debt plans for next week, while upsizing today’s Build America Bond pricing by $750 million.