Regions News from Bond Buyer

The city council voted unanimously to hold a special election on an 11-part GO bond proposition, which will be the largest in the city's history.

With big state incentives and tariff protection, a United Arab Emirates-based aluminum producer has pledged to build the first new U.S. smelter in decades.

The hires "will help us further deepen our relationships," said the firm's head of public finance.

Executive Director Gene Seroka said the port's downstream prospects are unclear as it deals with the "tariff whipsaw effect" from the Trump administration.

"We supported the approved rule change and are extremely disappointed that the MSRB is now proposing to halt the progress it had been making toward full and complete transparency in the municipal securities market," Dimensional Fund Advisors officials said in a letter.

Tim Ruby has joined Wells Fargo as its healthcare, higher education and not-for-profit division executive. He will be based in Chicago.

The negative outlook affects about $1.1 billion in combined GO and lease revenue debt, according to Fitch.

The Harris School of Public Policy is launching a new course, "Careers in Municipal Finance," designed to grow the public finance talent pipeline.

The Public Service Commission said it will reconsider rates at its August meeting.

The comprehensive federal tax bill President Trump signed July 4 is credit negative for universities, Moody's Ratings said.

Noble Environmental was sued by a shareholder last year in a case that is unresolved as it plans a $250 million tax-exempt debt offering.

As long as the Oversight Board offers virtually nothing to many PREPA bondholders, the bankruptcy is likely to be tied up for years in litigation.

New Jersey's Toms River school district was downgraded two notches by S&P after refusing to adopt a budget and discussing bankruptcy.

The U.S. territory is struggling with debt and pension liabilities as its economy remains weak and federal aid is cut back.

Isaak Bond Investments has agreed to pay a $20,000 fine to settle allegations brought by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority.

Moody's has downwardly revised the outlook for Baltimore's issuer rating and several classes of bonds due to a trend of declining fund balance levels in a city dependent on a major international shipping port.

Michigan's Great Lakes Water Authority went to market in June with roughly a billion dollars of bonds, part of a complex transaction that included a tender.

The layoffs will mean a hit to basic services and the cancellation or delay of projects.

School districts across Missouri face uncertainty over certification of their bond measures in light of a statute requiring a precise public notice window.

The dueling lawsuits underscores the need for alternative dispute resolution in public-private partnership contracts, said a P3 attorney.