California

SAN FRANCISCO — Squire Sanders said it has hired public finance attorney Robyn Helmlinger as a partner in San Francisco.

SAN FRANCISCO — California Gov. Jerry Brown said Friday he signed a bill into law that will allow the state to shift $865 million around internally to buffer cash-flow needs.

California, traditionally the largest issuer of municipal bonds in the country, is set to constrain its bond sales for another year, tightening supply to one of the hungriest markets of all time.

A bill that would allow municipalities in California to keep affordable housing funds collected by their redevelopment agencies, which were shut down Wednesday, cleared the state Senate.

California cities and redevelopment agencies have spent the past month lamenting the uncertainty wrought by the dissolution of the state's 400-plus redevelopment agencies, but based on trading, municipal bond investors don't appear to share those concerns.

Redevelopment agencies in California will legally vanish Wednesday, with a bill to extend that deadline declared dead by a top lawmaker.

LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority doesn't plan to issue bonds this year because it is securing a $546 million federal loan to help fund the $1.74 billion Crenshaw Line light-rail project.

The tug of war between Los Angeles World Airports and Ontario city officials over control of LA/Ontario International Airport has picked up steam over the past few weeks, but the issue appears unlikely to be resolved any time soon.

San Francisco-based Catholic Healthcare West has changed its name to Dignity Health to appeal to a broader patient audience.

An audit by Los Angeles Controller Wendy Greuel released Tuesday found that the city failed to pursue all eligible funding opportunities under the American Recovery Reinvestment Act.

In a cart-before-the-horse move, Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved a plan to apply for $100 million in state funding to pay for a jail construction plan that has yet to be approved, according to published reports.

California legislative leaders are suing the state’s controller over the authority to suspend lawmakers’ pay for late budgets.

Rating agencies are warning that uncertainty about the elimination of California's redevelopment agencies could affect debt payments and lead to a rash of downgrades for outstanding RDA bonds.

LOS ANGELES — Veteran public finance banker L. William Huck and real estate lawyer and developer Todd Anson have formed San Diego-based Common Bond Capital Partners to capitalize on an estimated $5 billion in defaults expected in the land-secured municipal bond market.

California lawmakers are considering two bills that would amend the fate of the state's redevelopment agencies that are facing termination on Feb. 1.

MONROVIA, Calif.—Three weeks after the California Supreme Court affirmed legislation eradicating the state's community redevelopment agencies, local officials are scrambling to figure out what it means for them.

California Gov. Jerry Brown placed the budget at the top of an ambitious agenda for the new legislative year during his state of the state address.

Moody’s Investors Service has downgraded the troubled Southern California Logistics Airport Authority’s subordinate tax-allocation revenue bonds to B3 from B1.

A high-profile group of California billionaires and influential political players has pulled plans to put two tax initiatives on the November ballot.

Uncertainty over what happens next for redevelopment agencies in California has prompted Moody's Investors Service to downgrade $11.6 billion of tax allocation bonds.