Florida

BRADENTON, Fla. — President Obama and Vice President Joe Biden will be in Florida today to announce which states will share in $8 billion of federal stimulus funding for high-speed rail projects, and the winners will include the Sunshine State.

Miami commissioners late last week approved the sale of $92 million of bonds to build parking facilities for the Florida Marlins’ new baseball stadium, which is under construction.

BRADENTON, Fla. — Miami-Dade County next week plans to offer $600 million of aviation revenue bonds to continue financing for a major capital improvement program at Miami International Airport that is nearing completion.

BRADENTON, Fla. — Florida today expects to complete negotiated pricing of $263.4 million of Florida Forever revenue bonds, representing the last debt authorized for the state’s long-running environmental and conservation land-protection program.

WASHINGTON ­— The Securities and Exchange Commission yesterday charged a Houston-based broker with engaging in unauthorized and unsuitable trading on behalf of two Florida municipalities, putting them at risk of losing millions of dollars while reaping more than $14 million in commissions.

Alex Sink, Florida's elected chief financial officer who is running for governor in 2010, on Monday urged Federal Railroad Administration head Joseph Szabo to consider the state's request for $2.6 billion to develop a high-speed rail corridor between Tampa and Orlando.

Dr. Rafick-Pierre Sekaly and other scientists at the Vaccine and Gene Therapy Institute of Florida are looking for "nothing short of cures" when it comes to diseases such as HIV, swine flu, and the West Nile virus, says the institute's chief operating officer, Mark Williams.

BRADENTON, Fla. — Florida Gov. Charlie Crist is urging U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood to approve Florida’s application for high-speed rail funding now that lawmakers have passed a statewide rail policy and funding bill.

BRADENTON, Fla. — The Florida Legislature late Tuesday finished work on a bill enacting a statewide comprehensive passenger rail policy and providing funds for existing and new rail projects.

Florida’s Senate president, Jeff Atwater, R-Palm Beach, has announced the creation of a new Senate Budget Office to provide greater oversight of legislative expenditures.

BRADENTON, Fla. — The Florida House yesterday passed a bill adopting a statewide passenger rail policy and creating a commission to oversee existing and new rail projects.

BRADENTON, Fla. — The Florida Supreme Court on Wednesday approved Gov. Charlie Crist’s request to impanel a statewide grand jury to conduct a year-long investigation into government corruption.

BRADENTON, Fla. — Against the backdrop of an annual internal audit critical of some of Miami’s budget practices, two agencies have assigned ratings to the city’s upcoming sale of $120 million of revenue bonds with the proceeds financing a parking garage for a Major League Baseball stadium.

The city of Sunrise on Monday removed Bank of America Merrill Lynch from its underwriting syndicate because its parent company, Bank of America NA, has come under fire in Florida for its mortgage and loan restructuring ­practices.

Florida’s elected Cabinet on Tuesday authorized the sale of nearly $1.5 billion of debt.

BRADENTON, Fla. — Stressed community development districts in Florida this month have told bondholders that they continue to rely on reserves to make debt ­payments. Some have filed notices of default and analysts expect their number to increase.

BRADENTON, Fla. — Top Florida officials are considering calling a special session of the Legislature in early December to solve problems that could prevent the state from getting federal stimulus funds for a variety of rail projects.

Supporters of Florida Forever, the state’s land conservation program, have launched an effort to convince the Legislature to restart bond financing so that the state can resume purchasing land while real estate prices are low.

Fitch Ratings Tuesday downgraded to A from A-plus $114 million of Indian River County School Board’s outstanding certificates of participation. The rating outlook is stable.

BRADENTON, Fla. — The Florida Hurricane ­Catastrophe Fund could be back in the bond market next year to again sell debt to pay damage claims caused by hurricanes in 2004 and 2005.