Missouri

Fitch Ratings has revised its outlook on Kansas City, Missouri's general obligation, lease, and special obligations ratings to stable from negative in recognition of its advances in pension funding and decision to scale back on an ambitious capital plan.

A bipartisan group of lawmakers announced legislation last week that would raise the state sales tax by one cent with the aim of raising $8 billion over the next decade for transportation projects.

Refunding opportunities fueled a 36.3% surge in bond issuance among Midwestern borrowers last year as the steadfastly conservative region shied away from adding new debt in favor of shoring up balance sheets.

The public agency that owns the Edward Jones Dome — home of the National Football League's St. Louis Rams — has tapped Goldman Sachs to advise it on stadium finance issues.

Fitch Ratings has placed Springfield, Mo,-based CoxHealth's A rating on Rating Watch Negative due to the system's impending new debt issuance.

An arbitration panel has picked the St. Louis Rams' estimated $750 million renovation of the Edward Jones Dome over the St. Louis Convention and Visitors Commission's more modest plan as the only option that meets a lease requirement to bring the stadium into top-notch condition.

Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon unveiled a proposed $25.9 billion budget for fiscal 2014 that bolsters education spending and provides a conditional endorsement of new borrowing if funds are carved out to repay it.

Standard & Poor's has revised its outlook on St. Louis-based St. Anthony's Medical Center's A-plus rating to negative from stable due to operating losses.

Missouri lawmakers pushing for a new state building bond program are banking on favorable interest rates, the state's solid triple-A rating, low debt levels, and the need for jobs to win support this year.

Fitch Ratings last week downgraded the Howard Bend Levee District two notches to the lowest investment grade level rating.

Fitch Ratings has revised its outlook on the junk bond rating of Chesterfield Valley Transportation Development District’s sales tax bonds to positive as the district expects to add new development this year.

Investors who hold some of the $4.5 billion of revenue bonds issued for the controversial Prairie State Energy Project can take heart that the project's long-term economics remain favorable for participating public power agencies despite cost overruns, says Moody's Investors Service.

Kansas City, Mo., plans to launch construction of a streetcar system next year using a bond financing plan designed to protect the city's general budget from project shortfalls.

Plans are advancing to ask St. Louis area voters to approve a sales tax increase to raise $760 million to fund improvements to area parks and trails and the Gateway Arch grounds.

Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon's proposed fiscal 2014 budget can count on roughly $7.9 billion in general revenues, a figure that's up slightly from the current year.

Missouri's Mercy Health saw strong retail and institutional interest on its $250 million new-money issue for capital projects -- including the replacement of its Joplin hospital destroyed by a May 2011 tornado.

Fitch Ratings upgraded the Missouri Joint Municipal Electric Utility Commission revenue bonds issued for the controversial coal-fired Prairie State Energy project one notch to A now that the plant is fully operational.

Mediation is set for early next year on a renovation plan for the St. Louis Rams’ professional football stadium.

The auction last month of assets from the half-built Mamtek US Inc. artificial sweetener plant in Moberly, Missouri raised about $1.8 million.

Assets of the shuttered, half-built Mamtek US Inc. plant in Moberly Missouri were auctioned Wednesday to help creditors – including holders of $39 million of defaulted revenue bonds – recoup some of their losses.