Florida

St. Petersburg-based Raymond James Financial announced that it has cleared a significant procedural hurdle in its acquisition of Morgan Keegan & Co.

BRADENTON, Fla. — The Orlando-Orange County Expressway Authority approved an agreement with the state Wednesday to move forward with one of Florida's most expensive toll roads: the nearly $2 billion Wekiva Parkway.

The Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund said Monday that it will release an invitation to negotiate to solicit proposals for financial advisory services.

BRADENTON, Fla. — The Florida Senate Budget Committee Wednesday unanimously approved a $70.7 billion budget for fiscal 2013 that sets the stage for controversy by transferring toll revenue from local agencies to the Florida Turnpike Enterprise, and placing restrictions on bond issuance for the foreseeable future.

Georgia is once again in the crosshairs of a water-rights dispute as neighboring Alabama and Florida filed appeals with the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday.

BRADENTON, Fla. — A bill moving swiftly through the Florida Senate could threaten the fiscal stability of the state's 67 public school districts and endanger funds that already secure bonds, according to school officials and some lawmakers.

Phil Allen, a veteran finance official in Florida and the director of Port Everglades, retired Feb. 3.

Florida's auditor general found increasing financial stress among cities, counties and special districts after reviewing hundreds of audits and financial statements filed in fiscal 2010.

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service is auditing $31.59 million of Series 2004A first mortgage revenue bonds that were issued by the St. Johns County Industrial Development Authority in August 2004 to help Presbyterian Retirement Communities Inc. and its affiliates finance improvements to eight retirement centers in Florida.

For a second year, Georgia is poised to eclipse Florida in authorizing new-money bonds in their state budgets.

Voters in the small town of Fort Myers Beach on Florida’s southwest coast overwhelmingly rejected bonds for a new city hall Tuesday, with 87% voting against the sale of $7 million of 30-year general obligation bonds secured by property taxes.

BRADENTON, Fla. — A libertarian think tank is disputing the savings that might occur if two high-profile Florida expressway authorities are partially consolidated with the state-run Turnpike Enterprise.

Florida Gov. Rick Scott has ordered an investigation of the state's 1,618 special districts, some of which have defaulted on billions of dollars in municipal bonds.

BRADENTON, Fla. — The Santa Rosa Bay Bridge Authority in north Florida cancelled its meeting set for Wednesday.

BRADENTON, Fla. — The Santa Rosa Bay Bridge Authority meets Wednesday to continue working toward a resolution on its $115.9 million of defaulted bonds, which were sold to build a toll bridge in north Florida.

BRADENTON, Fla. — Budget cuts, public education funding and raising revenue through expanded gambling are on the agenda as Florida lawmakers convene two months early this year because of redistricting duties.

Fitch Ratings on Tuesday downgraded the South Florida Water Management District’s certificates of participation to AA-minus from AA, citing a new Florida law restricting the agency’s ability to raise revenues.

The Internal Revenue Service is auditing $800 million of hospital revenue bonds that were issued by the South Miami, Fla., Health Facilities Authority in May 2007 to finance projects for affiliates of Baptist Health South Florida and to refund previously issued bonds.

The Internal Revenue Service is auditing $177.2 million of Series 2005I long-term adjustable-rate hospital revenue bonds issued by the Highlands County, Fla., Health Facilities Authority for the Adventist Health System/Sunbelt Group.

U.S. Bank NA notified the market that it was sued by Fiddler's Creek Community Development District 2 in South Florida.