Indiana

A judge in Madison County, Ind. last week ruled that Indiana law gives municipalities the right to lay off employees because of economic conditions.

The Indiana Finance Authority Thursday will sell $61M of state appropriation-backed bonds in a deal that will allow the popular state fair begin to hold large-scale, paid concerts again after a devastating 2011 accident.

Indiana plans to tap a final team to partner on its half of the $2.6 billion Ohio River bridges project by mid-November and close the deal by the end of the year, officials said.

Kentucky and Indiana agencies Tuesday are poised to approve the long-awaited master agreement for the financing and construction of the massive $2.6 billion Ohio River Bridges Project.

Indiana University expects to hire financial advisors to oversee the privatization of its parking system, a transaction modeled after Ohio State University's precedent-setting deal.

Indiana will use a chunk of its $2.2 billion surplus to make contributions to the state's pension funds, Gov. Mitch Daniels announced last week.

A new report from Indiana shows that local governments in the Hoosier State carry a total of $34 billion of debt, about half of which is backed by lease payments. School districts have issued the most debt of all political subdivisions.

The city of Westfield in Indiana has signed a memorandum of understanding with Citizens Energy Group to sell its water and sewer system to the non profit utility.

Indiana officials said revenues fell nearly 2% below expectations in August, though revenues overall are 4% ahead of forecasts for the first two months of the fiscal year.

Three groups have filed complaints stating that federal approval for the $2.6 billion Ohio River Bridges Project should be thrown out because laws were violated.

A key city-county council committee approved a controversial plan last week to expand Indianapolis’ large, lucrative downtown tax-increment financing district.

Local communities in eight states with a stake in the controversial mostly bond-financed Prairie State Energy coal project in Illinois could face fiscal stress due to the higher than projected rates they are paying and future financial risks, a new report from an pro-environmental group warns.

Citizens Energy, the nonprofit utility that bought Indianapolis' water and sewer systems last year, will come to market Thursday with the first of what is expected to be regular sewer bond borrowings to finance a $1.7 billion, 13-year environmental compliance capital plan.

Outgoing Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels last week asked the state's three gubernatorial candidates for their input on steps to implementing the new federal health care law.

Indiana last week released its final request for proposals for the East End Crossing of the massive $2.6 billion Ohio River Bridges Project.

Deron Kintner, who has overseen Indianapolis' borrowing arm since 2010, is leaving to become Mayor Greg Ballard's deputy mayor for economic development.

Moody's Investors Service last week affirmed its A1 rating on the Indianapolis Museum of Art and revised the outlook to negative from stable, saying the facility faces several challenges.

Indiana's Purdue University will sell $58 million of student-fee bonds Wednesday in the first of two August deals to raise money for capital needs.

Indianapolis-based City Securities Corp. has hired former Raymond James/Morgan Keegan banker and group manager Linda Matkowski to manage its public finance banking team as the 86-year-old firm seeks to expand its reach deeper into the Midwest.

Moody's Revised its Outlook to Stable from Negative on A1-rated Indianapolis Airport Authority, citing strong financial performance.