Hawaii

Hawaii Gov. David Ige affirmed his support of Oahu's $6 billion elevated rail project, but added he will be pressing for cost containment on the project in the state of the state speech he delivered Jan. 26.

Honolulu City Council members are balking at a request to issue $350 million in commercial paper for the city's delayed and over-budget elevated rail transit system.

Moody's Investors Service affirmed its A1 underlying long-term rating on Queen Health System of Hawaii ahead of its plans to price $403 million in revenue bonds.

Hawaii's draft $25.7 billion draft budget for the biennium contains plans to reduce general obligation bond obligation issuance by half compared to amounts pushed out over the past three years.

Hawaii's next finance director, Wesley Machida, says his appointment is a sign that the new governor is serious about lowering the state's unfunded pension liabilities.

Costs for Oahu's $5.26 billion rail project are on pace to exceed the budget by at least $500 million, according to the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation.

Hawaii Governor David Ige has named the state's pension chief to head the Department of Budget and Finance.

Roy Amemiya, a television executive and former banker, has been appointed to the second highest position in Honolulu's administration.

U.S. President Barack Obama signed a Disaster Declaration for Public Assistance on Nov. 3 to provide financial aid to the small Hawaii town of Pahoa threatened by a slow-moving lava flow.

Debate over who would benefit from a Hawaii constitutional amendment expanding the definition of special purpose revenue bonds originally aimed at preserving agricultural land has heated up in the final weeks leading up to the election.

Hawaii plans to price $150 million in green bonds the week of Nov. 3 in its first foray into the bond market with its new Green Energy Market Securitization Program.

Hawaii plans to enter the market with a $1.1 billion general obligation sale in November, a week after voters select a new governor.

Standard & Poor’s revised its outlook on Hawaii to stable from positive, affirming its AA rating ahead of plans to price $1.1 billion in debt.

Sanjeev "Sonny" Bhagowalia, the Hawaii governor's chief advisor on Technology and Cyber Security, was named deputy assistant secretary and chief information officer for the U.S. Department of Treasury.

Hawaii Gov. Neil Abercrombie announced the nominations of four people to immediately fill vacancies on the University of Hawaii Board of Regents that resulted from resignations on the 15-member board.

Hawaii judge rules that Hawaii House of Representatives has jurisdiction over residency of legislators, not court, in ruling dismissing lawsuit challenging Hawaii Rep. Calvin Say's residency.

Standard & Poor's revised the outlook to negative and affirmed a AA long-term rating on Kauai County, Hawaii's outstanding general obligation bonds, in a Sept. 16 report.

Hawaii received approval from its Public Utilities Commission to issue $150 million in taxable bonds by November to fund a program that finances energy efficiency improvements for homeowners.

The Far West Region mirrored the U.S. with municipal bond sales dropping 24.8% during the first half of 2014 compared to the same period a year earlier.

Hawaii Sen. Brian Ige defeats Incumbent Gov. Neil Abercrombie in Saturday primary election.