Illinois

Northern Illinois University is going to market with $62 million of certificates of participation to finance energy-saving projects affecting 50 buildings.

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson on Wednesday proposed a $17.3 billion fiscal year 2025 budget that calls for a $300 million property tax increase, but does not touch pension funding levels.

The Chicago City Council this week approved a plan to refinance $1.5 billion of the city's debt. The city expects to issue the bonds in the fourth quarter.

More project finance deals are part of FHN Financial's plans to grow its municipal finance business.

Three of the six conservation referendums on Midwest ballots are for bond authorizations; one in Illinois and two in Iowa.

Public pension benefit improvements could put credit pressure on states that enact them, the rating agency said this week.

After the school board resigned, the rating agency put Chicago Public Schools on notice that it will watch how its tricky financial situation is handled.

Cook County released its $9.89 billion executive budget recommendation, with officials saying it includes no new taxes or layoffs.

Chicago's City Council deferred a vote on a $1.5 billion bond measure.

Xavier University in Ohio is the latest private Midwest college to face bad financial news -- downgrades from two bond rating agencies -- but it's not alone.

Wells Fargo Head of Municipal Markets Strategy Vikram Rai said on Monday that Illinois' bonds are underappreciated as he released a report on the state.

The proposed sale size has grown to $1.5 billion and the city claims it will bring $90 million in savings this year.

Public policy students will mingle with current municipal finance pros at an upcoming University of Chicago Harris School career forum.

The Chicago Board of Education adopted a nonbinding resolution declaring a moratorium on school closures during a heated public meeting on Thursday.

The $105 million of power project revenue refunding bonds deal for Plum Point Energy Station in Arkansas comes amid tighter emission regulations.

North Carolina is the latest state to eye using a P3 to build tolled express lanes amid insufficient state funding.

Issuance as of Wednesday is at $345.327 billion, a 32.7% increase over 2023. The Bond Buyer 30-day visible calendar on Monday was at $20.02 billion, the largest in nearly four years.

Municipals lagged the UST moves again, cheapening ratios and creating a valuable entry point for investors looking for compelling taxable equivalent yields, particularly 10-years and out.

Chicago released a budget forecast that its corporate fund deficit will grow to $982.4 million in 2025 from $222.9 million at 2024's end.

Illinois will sell up to $1.1 billion of general obligation refunding bonds and $600 million of taxable and tax-exempt GO bonds by the end of September.