California

A high-profile San Francisco Bay Area business advocate, the Bay Area Council's Jim Wunderman, says a sales tax should be used to help meet California's massive unfunded transportation needs.

Far West issuers sold $48.3 billion of municipal bonds in the first half of 2015, a 70% increase from the first six months of 2014 that was driven by refundings.

Standard & Poor’s removed from credit watch and affirmed its A-plus rating on the West Covina Public Finance Authority, Calif.'s lease-revenue bonds after the city enacted improved internal controls.

California lawmakers began consideration of several bond-related propositions aimed at raising infrastructure revenue.

A survey Fitch Ratings conducted of 49 California water utilities found that customers can expect rate increases and that those increases bode well for California water districts' credit quality through 2017.

Moody's Investors Service boosted by four notches to A2 $97.4 million in tax allocation bond debt managed by the successor agency to Westminster, Calif.'s redevelopment agency.

Moody’s Investors Service affirmed California’s Aa3 rating ahead of a $1.9 billion general obligation bond sale slated for Aug. 26.

Moody's Investors Service upgraded four notches to investment grade tax allocation refunding bonds managed by the successor agency to Torrance, Calif.’s redevelopment agency.

Moody's Investors Service placed on review for downgrade the Aa3 rating of Central Basin Municipal Water District's certificates of participation and adjustable rate refunding certificates of participation.

Bondholders could receive up to a 30% recovery on Nevada County, Calif. dirt bonds that went into default 23 years ago as part of a bankruptcy workout.

Standard & Poor's announced Friday that it is withdrawing its rating on Palm Drive Health Care District, Calif. after repeated attempts to get necessary information from the issuer failed.

Fresno County, Calif. will bring $27 million of pension obligation refunding bonds to market in the coming days.

The authors of a California ballot initiative that would restructure public employee pensions said they will commission a legal review of the measure's "title and summary" before gathering signatures.

Richmond, Calif., is fighting to avoid being perceived as the next California issuer in distress after Moody’s Investors Service downgraded the city to junk.

Roseville, Calif.'s water utility revenue certificates of participation won an upgrade from Standard & Poor's, which cited the system's ability to raise rates.

Los Angeles and Ontario's settlement agreement involving Ontario International Airport is likely to provide for a more politically acceptable and stable ownership, but credit issues linger, according to a Fitch Ratings report.

Los Angeles released the final 20,000 "shade balls" Monday into a 175-acre Los Angeles reservoir to prevent pollution.

The monthly cash report from the California controller's office shows that revenues fell just 0.2% short of expectations in July.

A $52.2 million bond refunding priced by Carson, Calif.'s former redevelopment agency on Aug. 6 will pay environmental remediation costs needed to convert a former landfill into a National Football League stadium.

A survey out the San Francisco Controller's office found residents to be reasonably satisfied with its infrastructure and public services, in advance of major investments and a large bond proposal.