Illinois

The state, through its established conduit issuer, is eyeing new financing products to promote climate goals as its pursues $1.2 billion of federal funds.

The state plans to enter the market before the fiscal year closes June 30th with eyes turned to Fitch and whether it will follow Moody's and S&P with an upgrade.

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot and council members passed resolutions honoring Msall for guiding local finances over two decades as Chicago Civic Federation president.

Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza talks with Yvette Shields about the state's progress on building up reserves and paying down debts that have helped lift the state's bond ratings, efforts to make further headway and the challenges of making sure fresh legislative faces understand the pains suffered during the two-year budget impasse. (35 minutes)

Illinois earlier this week saw its second upgrade of the year and Gov. J.B. Pritzker suggested an uptick in revenue projections could provide room to further bolster fiscal metrics that helped draw the upgrade.

Moody's Investors joined S&P Global Ratings in lifting the state into the A category with a single notch upgrade to A3 Tuesday.

Governance decisions and rapidly escalating deficits contributed to Moody's decision to cut Illinois Tech's rating two notches to speculative grade.

Illinois lawmakers' research arm projects more revenue in the current budget year but warns budget writers to proceed with caution in the next.

The state's once-depleted rainy-day fund that's now on track to hit nearly $2 billion this year would receive automatic deposits when two financial metrics are hit under pending legislation.

Paul Vallas, a former city budget director and public schools chief, and Brandon Johnson, a Cook County commissioner and teachers' union organizer were the two top vote-getters in Tuesday's election sending them to an April runoff.