Nebraska

The Nebraska Public Power District will price $234 million of new-money and refunding general revenue bonds to capture interest rate savings and finance capital projects at its nuclear plant.

Nebraska Gov. Dave Heineman made a rare appearance before legislators last week, pushing for a $327 million tax-cut plan that would reduce individual and corporate income taxes and eliminate the inheritance tax.

Moody’s Investors Service last week warned of a possible downgrade to bonds issued by the Central Plains Energy Project in 2007.

Standard & Poor’s dropped its rating on the Omaha Metropolitan Utility District to A from A-plus due to decreasing debt service coverage levels, the ratings agency said last week.

CHICAGO - The Omaha Public Power District, one of the nation's highest-rated utilities, comes to market next week with $300 million of electric system revenue bonds.

CHICAGO - A recent ruling by the Nebraska Department of Revenue effectively removes the use of lease-purchase agreements as a tool to finance municipal projects, and the impact is reverberating throughout the state.

Omaha will retain its triple-A ratings from Standard & Poor's and Moody's Investors Service as it heads to market next week with $23.8 million of general obligation bonds.

Moody’s Investors Service last week affirmed its Aa2 on Nebraska’s outstanding certificates of participation, which are issued to finance a variety of leases and equipment purchases for state agencies.

CHICAGO - Some struggling development districts around Omaha have turned to Chapter 9 bankruptcy as a way to restructure debt as they wait out an ailing housing market.

CHICAGO - A bond issuer made up of the University of Nebraska and the city of Lincoln will take competitive bids Tuesday on $100 million of bonds that mark the last large financing for a new arena that is the largest project in state capital's history.

The Omaha Public Power District, which runs Nebraska's Fort Calhoun nuclear plant, is responding to the current flooding crisis as one would expect from the fourth-highest rated utility in the United States, credit analysts say.

CHICAGO — The Omaha Public Power District, the fourth highest-rated utility in the U.S., on Thursday will price up to $150 million of electric system revenue bonds.

Nebraska lawmakers last week passed a bill that eliminates an occupation tax imposed by Lincoln to help boost its budget.

CHICAGO — The Nebraska Public Power District Monday will price $64 million of general revenue bonds to refund commercial paper issued to finance the cost of nuclear fuel. The bonds mature from 2012 through 2017.

CHICAGO — Nebraska won a coveted AAA rating last week from Standard & Poor’s. The upgrade reflects Nebraska’s history of a stable economy, conservative budgeting, strong reserves, and one of the lowest debt burdens in the nation, according to analysts.

After days of debate, Nebraska lawmakers last Saturday approved a bill that will divert a slice of the state’s sales tax to finance road projects.

CHICAGO — Nebraska would issue up to $500 million of bonds backed by a slice of its sales tax under a bill likely to be debated by the Legislature in the next two weeks.

The Nebraska Investment Finance Authority Thursday will price $196 million of fixed-rate bonds, followed in two weeks by $478 million of variable-rate debt, in a deal aimed at helping the authority better manage its swap risk.

CHICAGO — Aurora Health Care Inc. in Wisconsin enters the market as soon as Tuesday to refund $140 million of outstanding debt in a deal officials scaled down from $377 million due to rising long-term interest rates.

CHICAGO — A new bond-issuing authority made up of the University of Nebraska and the city of Lincoln will take competitive bids Wednesday on nearly $100 million of recovery zone economic development bonds and Build America Bonds.