Nebraska

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.

CHICAGO — The Omaha Public Power District will hit the market Thursday with $120 million of taxable Build America Bonds while delaying a $125 million refunding issue amid lower-than-expected market savings.

CHICAGO — Midwestern voters next week go to the polls to decide the fate of $2.16 billion worth of borrowing requests, choose new governors, and decide spending and taxing measures.

CHICAGO — The Nebraska Public Power District will enter the market Monday with $270 million of bonds as part of its annual borrowing to finance capital projects.

CHICAGO — The last time Nebraska issued bonds to finance highway projects was the summer of 1969. But five years of falling road revenues have prompted lawmakers to give borrowing a fresh look.

A new bond authority created to build and own a new arena in Lincoln, Neb., will competitively price $100 million of taxable Build America Bonds on Tuesday.

The Omaha Public Power District's board approved up to $300 million of bonds to finance capital projects over the next two years.

CHICAGO — Midwestern bond issuance leaped by 32.5% to $39.8 billion for the first six months of the year, due primarily to Illinois’ borrowing spree to finance its $31 billion capital program and its use of debt for budgetary relief.

CHICAGO — Omaha Mayor Jim Suttle Tuesday proposed a trio of tax increases in part to help address a pension shortfall that credit analysts have warned is one of the triple-A rated city’s main challenges.

CHICAGO — Moody’s Investors Service has downgraded nearly $2 billion of outstanding tax-exempt gas prepayment bonds and warned that another $1.9 billion could be cut due to the recent rating downgrade for BP Corporation North America Inc.

CHICAGO — Sanitary improvement districts have long been a key infrastructure development tool in Omaha. However, the districts are increasingly distressed amid the region’s lifeless housing market, and many are starting to have trouble paying back the debt they issued at the peak of the housing boom five years ago.