Ohio

The Columbus City Council last week approved $36 million of bonds to finance the renovation and expansion of a new police headquarters.

Cuyahoga County's first executive, who takes office in January as part of the county's shift to an executive-style government, said last week he hopes to launch a regional service-sharing agreement for the county's local governments.

CHICAGO — Ohio’s effort to ensure local governments issue as many recovery zone bonds as possible before the end of the year has prompted Columbus to enter the market Tuesday to use a fresh allocation of just under $60 million.

Republican Governor-elect John Kasich said last week that he would consider a plan to privatize the Ohio Turnpike.

Kent State University has postponed a $250 million capital program amid opposition from the Ohio Board of Regents.

CHICAGO — Ohio plans to begin taking retail orders Tuesday on $230 million of double-A rated Garvee bonds and opening the sale to institutional buyers Wednesday.

CHICAGO — Ohio-based public power provider American Municipal Power Inc. will come to market Wednesday with $654 million of mostly taxable debt to finance a new hydroelectric plant along the Ohio River.

CHICAGO — After years of planning and local front-page headlines, Cuyahoga County, Ohio, will hit the market next week with $346 million of tax-exempt and taxable debt that will tap two federal stimulus bond programs to help finance a new convention center and medical supply mart in downtown ­Cleveland.

CHICAGO — Moody’s Investors Service has downgraded to Baa1 from A3 its rating on Cleveland-Hopkins International Airport, warning that the airport faces pressure from declining enplanements and airline revenue.

CHICAGO — Fitch Ratings downgraded Akron, Ohio, as the city prepares to hit the market Monday with a $76 million general obligation borrowing as part of its annual debt issuance to finance capital projects.

CHICAGO — Ohio will enter the market Monday with $300 million of tax-exempt bonds and taxable Build America Bonds to finance higher education capital projects across the state.

Moody's Investors Service last week boosted its outlook to stable from negative on the Cleveland Clinic Health System in part because the prestigious system has scaled back some of its ambitious capital program.

CHICAGO — The Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District, which serves the Cleveland area, Thursday will sell $338.3 million of Build America Bonds in its largest-ever deal.

CHICAGO — The Ohio Turnpike Commission will refund $130.3 million of bonds Monday to achieve savings of nearly $10 million over the life of the debt.

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 — UC Health, which operates the primary safety-net hospital in Cincinnati, is coming to market Tuesday with $207.5 million of revenue bonds to finance capital projects.

CHICAGO — Ohio will take bids on $75 million of general obligation bonds Wednesday in the state’s first competitive sale since the 2008 market crash.

CHICAGO — The Ohio Housing Finance Agency will take institutional orders Thursday on $130 million of mortgage revenue bonds offered under the federal new issue bond program, marking the agency’s first — and likely its only — new-money transaction of the year.

CHICAGO — After years of selling its long-term debt through negotiated sales, the Cleveland Metropolitan School District opted to take competitive bids on its recent issue of $55 million of qualified school construction bonds.

CHICAGO — Ohio Tuesday will take retail orders for $582 million of refunding bonds to achieve lower interest costs over the next eight years.