Far West

WASHINGTON — Build America Bond transaction participants are debating whether they need to do more to track BAB prices to avoid running afoul of statutory premium restrictions and jeopardizing the issuer’s subsidy payments or to respond to an Internal Revenue Service compliance check.

SAN FRANCISCO — The Washington Legislature rebalanced the state’s 2009-11 biennial budget Monday night, closing a $2.8 billion gap with the help of almost $750 million in new taxes.

WASHINGTON — Amtrak wants to become a major player in creating a national high-speed rail network, as states continue to jockey for funding from the federal government and potentially offer up their own bonds to help cover construction costs.

SAN FRANCISCO — Los Angeles was making progress reducing its budget deficit before a political standoff derailed a planned electricity rate increase, a new report from the office of the city administrative officer says.

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority fined D.A. Davidson & Co. $375,000 for failing to protect confidential customer information that hackers stole from its computer systems in late 2007, but credited the firm for its response to customers after it learned of the breach and for cooperating with criminal law enforcement agencies.

The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, the nation's largest municipal utility, said its finances remain strong, even amid a stalemate between local elected officials that has held up a planned electricity rate increase.

SAN FRANCISCO — California's receipts exceeded forecasts for a fourth consecutive month in March, adding to the evidence that the state has turned a fiscal and economic corner, according to Controller John Chiang's monthly cash report.

Los Angeles, the nation's second-biggest city, may lose its double-A-level ratings over a 10th of a cent. That's the per-kilowatt-hour difference between the most recent electricity rate hike proposals from the City Council and Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's appointees at the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power.

Maryland lawmakers continued negotiations on fiscal 2011 budget bills Thursday as local bond-financed projects, which some members consider earmarks, became a point of contention.

Oregon Gov. Ted Kulongoski used his final state of the state address last Friday to warn that he sees a fiscal "storm" coming unless lawmakers take action to tame the state's boom-and-bust budget cycles.