Florida

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.

The Santa Rosa Bay Bridge Authority's new board learned Wednesday night that its defaulted bonds, sold to build the Garcon Point Bridge in north Florida, may be repaid without losses to investors.

Florida Gov. Rick Scott on Monday appointed John M. Martinez, vice president of Gardnyr Michael Capital Inc., as an interim Orange County commissioner.

Tampa, Fla., this week is marketing $20 million of taxable bonds to pay workers' compensation claims in a transaction that could be a model for other deals.

BRADENTON, Fla. — Florida Gov. Rick Scott Wednesday unveiled his 2013 budget proposal, which includes major cuts in spending and the state's borrowing program.

The Orlando-Orange County Expressway Authority last week hired an interim executive director who currently works for a consulting firm that has contracts with the agency.

BRADENTON, Fla. — Even with debt issuance by Florida at a historic low this fiscal year, the state continues to exceed its self-imposed debt service cap as revenues remain weak.

BRADENTON, Fla. - The Securities and Exchange Commission has opened what appears to be a sweeping investigation into the new, largely bond-financed stadium for Major League Baseball's Miami Marlins.

BRADENTON, Fla. — The Santa Rosa Bay Bridge Authority's bond trustee, Bank of New York Mellon, has hired a financial advisor to assist with restructuring the Florida authority's defaulted bonds.

The City Council of cash-strapped Miami learned recently that it may be forced to pay property taxes on four parking garages nearing completion to service the Marlins' new baseball stadium, according to the Miami Herald.

BRADENTON, Fla. - A newly appointed member of northwest Florida's Santa Rosa Bay Bridge Authority has filed a complaint with the Securities and Exchange Commission, citing what he calls trading irregularities in some of the agency's $116 million of defaulted bonds.