Kentucky

Kentucky legislators are expected to focus on keeping promises to the state’s retirees as they manage massive pension burdens and attempt to protect the state's credit ratings next year.

A decision by the Kentucky Supreme Court to not review a lower court decision allowing library districts to assess property taxes is a credit positive, said Moody's Investors Service.

The credit outlook on Paducah Power, Ky., returned to stable from negative after implementing a recovery plan and stronger performance at the Prairie State Energy Campus, Fitch Ratings said.

U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Alan C. Stout likely will determine in January if Hillview should be the first municipality in Kentucky to qualify for Chapter 9 bankruptcy.

U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Alan C. Stout will decide after hearings on Dec. 9 and 10 whether Hillview, Ky., is eligible to proceed with its bankruptcy petition.

Louisville Water Co., Ky., plans to competitively price $127 million of new money revenue bonds Wednesday to finance capital needs.

Kentucky Gov.-elect Matt Bevin appointed public finance attorney Scott Brinkman as secretary of the Executive Cabinet.

Kentucky’s expanding economy and solid fiscal results are positive credit factors, yet large pension liabilities and rising debt are headwinds, said Moody's Investors Service.

In Tuesday's election, Mississippi voters returned incumbent Republican Gov. Phil Bryant to office while Kentucky voters chose a member of the GOP to succeed their term-limited Democratic governor.

U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Alan C. Stout scheduled a hearing for Dec. 9 to decide if Hillview, Ky. is qualified to continue through the bankruptcy process.

KentuckyWired, the state’s novel Internet project, won the Excellence in Development Finance Project Award from the Council of Development Finance Agencies.

Voters in Louisiana Saturday select a new governor and decide on a constitutional amendment to fund new transportation projects that opponents say could hurt the state’s credit ratings.

Louisville, Ky., issuers plan to bring $550.9 million of bonds to the market this month and in November offering investors a variety of high-grade paper.

Hillview, Ky.’s largest creditor, Truck America LLC, said Thursday that the city may not be eligible for bankruptcy because the state’s law is invalid.

Kentucky cities and power boards formed a new joint action agency that hopes to find lower power costs after shedding contracts with investor-owned Kentucky Utilities.

A governor-appointed panel studying Kentucky’s $14 billion teachers’ pension liability heard various options for dealing with the underfunding, including the use of pension bonds.

Hillview, Ky., filed for bankruptcy last month under the weight of a $15 million court judgment; objections to the city’s petition are due by Oct. 1.

Citing Kentucky’s unfunded pension liabilities, Standard & Poor's Thursday cut the Bluegrass state’s issuer credit rating to A-plus from AA-minus; other ratings were also downgraded.

Hillview, Ky.'s bankruptcy filing offers more evidence that municipalities increasingly consider filing for reorganization as a way to cure balance-sheet problems, according to Moody's Investors Service.

Hillview, Ky., filed for bankruptcy to stop interest accruing on an $11.4 million adverse judgment and will pay its $3.2 million of bond debt, said City Attorney Tammy Baker.