Iowa

Coralville, Iowa’s general obligation bond rating moved closer to speculative grade amid balance sheet struggles due in part to its investment in recreational enterprises.

Standard & Poor's revised its outlook on the Iowa Board of Regents' University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics to stable from negative after a decision to trim capital spending.

Fairfield, Iowa’s rating sank to the lowest investment grade at Moody’s Investors Service, which warned it could drop further over operating deficits that have strained the town’s balance sheet.

Moody's Investors Service has upgraded the rating of Winterset Community School District in Iowa to A1 from A2.

Moody's Investors Service revised its outlook for Cedar Rapids, Iowa-based Mercy Medical Center to stable from negative Feb. 24, when it affirmed the medical center's A2

Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad signed into law a transportation funding package that raises the state's tax on gasoline and diesel fuel by 10 cents a gallon and lifts permit fees on oversized vehicles.

Municipal bond borrowing by Midwestern issuers picked up steam last year, rising by 6.9% to $63.5 billion as issuers loosened the reins a bit on new money borrowing and refundings recorded double-digit gains thanks to favorable interest rates.

The Iowa Finance Authority hits the market Wednesday with $323 million of new-money and refunding state revolving bonds that will carry a “green” designation.

Legislation raising Iowa's gasoline tax by as much as 10 cents to bolster state transportation spending is being prepared with several key lawmakers saying the bill stands a good chance due to mounting bipartisan support for action.

Operating gains prompted Moody's Investors Service to revise Iowa's UnityPoint health system's outlook to stable from negative.

The Iowa Public Employees' Retirement System’s funded ratio rose to 82.7% in the last fiscal year up from 81% a year earlier.

Moody's Investors Service has downgraded Iowa-based Algona Municipal Utility's electric revenue bonds by one level to Baa1 over its fiscal struggles.

Midwestern voters head to the polls Tuesday to decide the fate of a handful of finance-related ballot questions and the leadership of eight states, including several where debate over fiscal pressures is taking center stage.

Moody's Investors Service has raised by one notch its sales tax ratings on three Iowa school districts to reflect an extension of their sales tax base not previously factored into its ratings by Moody's.

The trustee for $6 million of unrated bonds issued for Iowa Wesleyan College will ask a judge to allow it to enter a forbearance agreement with the school ahead of an expected technical default on debt service coverage ratios.

Standard & Poor's on Friday revised its outlook on University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics' AA rating to negative from stable over the potential strains of its big capital plans.

Borrowing by Midwest issuers slid 13.2% for the first half of 2014 but new-money issuance fueled by Chicago and Illinois deals helped boost new-money by 16.8%.

The Des Moines Airport Authority Board approved a long-term site plan that calls for construction of a new, $468 million partially bond-financed terminal but officials still need to identify $200 million in financing.

Moody's Investors Service has revised its outlook on Iowa-based St. Anthony Regional Hospital's Baa2 rating to negative.

Construction on the $1.8 billion partially bond-financed Iowa Fertilizer Co. project is slightly behind schedule due to the harsh winter but the project is making "timely progress" and commodity price expectations remain on target, according to Fitch Ratings.