California

After almost a year of anticipation, the long-looming ominous cloud of a Federal Reserve taper finally broke on the municipal market last week. The ensuing storm has been but a whimper, said Bank of America's Phil Fischer.

The five-day trial to settle a rate dispute between the San Diego County Water Authority and its wholesale water supplier ended without the judge making a ruling.

San Jose, Calif. cannot make voter approved pension cuts, but it can reduce pay to help fund higher retirement costs, a judge ruled on Monday.

Moody's Investors Service downgraded the GOs of El Rancho Unified School District, Calif., A2 from A1 and gave the district a negative outlook.

California's Legislative Analyst Office said the proposed Pension Reform Act of 2014 could save hundreds of millions to billions of dollars in the long run for the state and local governments.

A California company that has strived for a decade to build a plant to turn rice straw into fiberboard received another extension from a conduit issuer on plans to issue $175 million in private activity bonds.

Moody's Investors Service has placed $6.6 billion of the California Department of Water Resources bonds on review for upgrade.

The Irwindale, Calif. Sriracha chili sauce manufacturing facility now being threatened by a lawsuit from Irwindale, Calif. had been promoted as a successful use of California's now defunct redevelopment law.

The city of Berkeley, Calif. is planning a competitive offering of $15 million of general obligation bonds to finance street improvements.

Moody's Investors Service has upgraded more than $600 million of outstanding bonds issued by the Northern California Power Agency.

A five-day trial began Tuesday in one of two lawsuits filed by the San Diego County Water Authority two years ago challenging rates set by its wholesale water provider.

The University of California and a union representing more than 12,000 researchers, healthcare, and technical workers reached a tentative labor agreement this week after two years of negotiations.

California State Controller John Chiang updated his pay data website with new salary information for city and county officials.

U.S. District Court Judge Dolly Gee granted the California Public Employees' Retirement System leave to appeal to the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals San Bernardino's eligibility to be in bankruptcy.

California Treasurer Bill Lockyer has joined Brown Rudnick LLP's government and law strategies team in Orange County in a part time job in addition to his duties as treasurer.

The California Public Employees' Retirement System held a conference call with media to emphasized its belief that a Detroit bankruptcy ruling that pensions are not in a special class above other creditors does not apply to California.

The Foothill-Eastern Transportation Corridor Agency achieved its stated goal of reducing debt payments by $975 million through 2040 with a $2.3 billion refinancing that priced late in the day on Dec. 12.

The democratic caucus of the California State Assembly has released a "budget blueprint" for next year that includes boosting higher education spending and creating a rainy day fund.

Robert Rizzo, former city manager of Bell, Calif., agreed on Thursday to plead guilty to federal charges of tax evasion.

San Francisco Mayor has proposed putting a $400 million bond for earthquake safety improvements on the city’s June 2014 ballot.