Minnesota

Economic strains are denting Minnesota’s rosy revenue picture, giving state lawmakers less wiggle room on new spending, borrowing plans, and tax relief.

The Midwest lagged the national uptick in issuance last year as the conservative region did take advantage of low interest rates to refund debt but held tight the purse strings on new money borrowing.

Minnesota is offering $350 million of its high-grade state revolving paper in a competitive sale set for Tuesday.

The Minneapolis-St. Paul Metropolitan Airports Commission won an upgrade of its subordinate bond credit after a new review.

Minnesota’s coffers have surged to twice the previously projected balance, prompting a new round of debate over how to spend the extra funds with a focus on tax cuts, education, and transportation.

Moody's Investors Service dropped Minnesota-based Amherst H. Wilder Foundation's rating by two levels to A3 over its fiscal struggles that have led to endowment draws.

Voters across the Midwest elected new leaders, embraced the borrowing pleas of some school districts while nixing others, and rejected a controversial marijuana initiative in one state.

The Internal Revenue Service has determined that industrial development bonds issued by the city of Minneapolis in 2006 for a printing-facility project are taxable.

Faltering projects designed to boost the economy can expose municipalities to the perils of backing such ventures, Moody's Investors Service said in a commentary.

The Internal Revenue Service is auditing $91 million of Build America Bonds issued by the Minnesota Public Facilities Authority in fall 2010.

Standard & Poor's outlook on the University of Minnesota Regents' rating has dimmed due to pressures posed by the state flagship school's increasing debt load.

Minnesota's flush coffers and structural budget balance led Standard & Poor's to revise its outlook on the state's AA-plus rating to positive from stable.

Minnesota takes competitive bids Wednesday on $1.1 billion of its high-grade general obligation paper to finance projects and refund debt for savings in a deal that marks the state's single largest issuance of general obligation paper.

Standard & Poor's says Children’s Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota could win an upgrade if its operations remain on the upswing.

Moody’s Investors Service has raised Minneapolis-based Fairview Health Services’ rating by one level to A2 ahead of its upcoming revenue bond sale for $120 million.

The Metropolitan Council of the Twin Cities takes competitive bids June 8 on $150 million of general obligation bonds to fund parks, transit, and wastewater projects in the region.

A $525 million boost in state public education funding over the next two years is a credit positive for Minnesota’s school districts, Moody’s Investors Service said Friday.

The Minnesota Vikings and U.S. Bank have struck a 20-year naming rights agreement on the National Football League team’s new publicly subsidized stadium that opens next year.

St. Olaf College in Minnesota has its rating affirmed by Moody’s Investors Service as the school heads into the market with a $54.4 million new money and refinancing issue.

Minnesota’s HealthEast Care System will make a rare appearance in the market this week with a debt restructuring aimed at strengthening its balance sheet.