Illinois

Chicago named members of a special advisory panel charged with protecting the public's interest in a possible lease of Midway International Airport.

The Chicago Infrastructure Trust board approved the addition of six advisory members Thursday as it gears up to solicit private market interest in funding energy efficiency upgrades to city facilities and public schools.

The Illinois Finance Authority board advanced new-money and refunding deals planned by Northwestern Memorial Healthcare and the Franciscan Communities Inc. in the coming months.

Sycamore Advisors LLC, one of Indiana's top financial advisors, hired Courtney Tobin, a Georgia-based former Indiana public finance official, to help expand the firm's footprint in the southeast and Chicago.

Illinois lawmakers adjourned a lame-duck session after failing to fix the state's pension crisis, leaving the $95 billion unfunded pension mess to the newly inaugurated Illinois General.

Cook County President Toni Preckwinkle last week touted the repeal of a 1% sales tax increase that had made the sales tax rate in Cook and Chicago among the highest in the nation.

Investors who hold some of the $4.5 billion of revenue bonds issued for the controversial Prairie State Energy Project can take heart that the project's long-term economics remain favorable for participating public power agencies despite cost overruns, says Moody's Investors Service.

Fired last summer by Blaylock Robert Van LLC, Chicago-based public finance banker Frank Paul has filed a charge of race and age employment discrimination against his former employer with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

A group of prominent Illinois-based civic groups Thursday banded together to intensify pressure on lawmakers to act now during a special legislative session to overhaul the state's pension system weighed down by $95 billion in unfunded obligations.

The funded ratios of 11 pension funds that cover Chicago, Cook County and statewide municipal workers in Illinois deteriorated in 2011 and they collectively now carry $37 billion of unfunded obligations, according to a new report.

Chicago has reached a settlement with St. John United Church of Christ that includes a $1.3 million payment for church land that had housed a cemetery moved to make way for a new runway at O'Hare.

The Illinois State Toll Authority board has approved a $1.5 billion budget for the coming year along with $1 billion in toll-backed bonds in the agency's first borrowing to support its 15-year $12 billion capital program.

Women in Public Finance will honor three professionals next month in Chicago at the national organization's 7th annual founders' awards.

Moody's Investors Service has upgraded the rating on the village of Hodgkins, Ill., $36.6 million of Metropolitan Biosolids Management project revenue bonds to Aa3.

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel's announcement that the city will explore leasing Midway International Airport to private operators came with a full court press to portray any eventual deal as a good one for taxpayers.

The Illinois Finance Authority board signed off on a $90 million financing package for Clare Oaks continuing care retirement community in suburban Chicago as part of a Chapter 11 reorganization plan submitted by bondholders.

Chicago is exploring a second try at privatizing its Midway International Airport, Mayor Rahm Emanuel's administration announced Friday.

The RTA of Illinois board put off a scheduled vote Wednesday on its 2013 budget due to an impasse over the level of fiscal information provided by one of its service boards on up to $1 billion of planned borrowing.

A coalition of public unions attacked pension reform plans floated by Gov. Pat Quinn and lawmakers as unconstitutional and offered to increase their contributions if the state guarantees to annually fund its share needed to shore up the system.

Holders of bankrupt American Airlines' New York City airport debt are weighing a settlement offer that would pave the way for the carrier to assume its lease at John F. Kennedy International Airport.