Illinois

Stability at the state government level and the prospects of more aid in fiscal 2023 eased balance sheet pressures on Illinois' public universities.

The SEC terminated its latest proceedings against the city after an independent consultant found the city was in "substantial compliance" with a 2014 judgment.

Susana Mendoza argues that a budget plan that would use surpluses to pay down bills and raise pension contributions shows the state is on the right fiscal path.

Illinois' burdensome pension tab and questions over whether revenue can keep pace with spending in the long term pose strains, but the governor's plan to use surpluses to pay bolster the rainy day fund and pension contributions and pay down bills moves the state in the right direction.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker highlighted rating recent upgrades as he presented an election-year budget that would also offer tax relief and reduce the bill backlog.

Like peers with big endowments and strong student demand, the private university in Chicago has managed through the pandemic with its ratings intact.

Loop acquired an investment advisory firm from BMO.

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker will unveil a proposed, fiscal 2023 spending plan Wednesday that offers some modest, one-time targeted tax relief.

The state-approved benefit change for some Chicago firefighters adds $180 million to the city's unfunded tab and $700 million to contributions over 30 years.

Illinois' nearly exhausted $1 billion of GO bonding authority for existing pension buyout programs would get a $1 billion infusion under pending legislation.

The fiscally stressed Chicago suburb offered terms, including a 20-year maturity extension for a possible bond exchange, as it looks to restructure debt.

Skokie held on to its double-A tier ratings as it preps a pension obligation bond issue to bring its public safety pension funding ratios to 90%.

The junk-rated Chicago Public Schools sold $872 million of new-money and refunding bonds into a rockier market for high-yield paper Thursday.

COVID-19 hit the Lombard, Illinois, Westin hotel and conference center hard, knocking repayment of bonds restructured in a 2018 bankruptcy off track.

Chicago Public Schools returns to the market after resolving a union dispute that shuttered schools amid the spreading omicron COVID-19 variant.

The number of hospital mergers and acquisitions dropped last year and the pandemic and federal government's actions may influence the 2022 picture

The state expects to cut interest costs through the early repayment on the loan taken out through the Federal Reserve's emergency lending program to help pay down healthcare bills.

Several pension-related matters that impact Chicago, Cook County and suburban and downstate public safety pension funds face an uncertain fate.

Fitch raised the CBOE’s issuer default rating and outstanding unlimited tax GOs to BB-plus from BB and outstanding dedicated capital improvement tax bonds to A from A-minus.

The Chicago suburb is planning a nearly $100 million issue to refund, restructure debt and pay down its unfunded public safety pension obligations.