Wisconsin

Leaders of the Public Finance Authority take issue with criticisms that the Wisconsin-based national conduit issuer only exists to usurp local control from taxpayers and other bond-issuing authorities.

Gonzalez Saggio & Harlan LLP, a national minority-owned law firm based in Milwaukee with an 11-strong public finance team, will shut down at the end of this month.

A $327 million University of Kansas bond sale that used a Wisconsin conduit issuer drew criticism from lawmakers seeking to ban future out-of-state deals.

A Wisconsin town has won back its investment grade rating after renegotiating direct purchase contracts with its banks.

Investment banking firms have until Dec. 22 to submit qualifications to Wisconsin as the state prepares new underwriting and dealer pools for negotiated sales under its various bond programs.

SwedishAmerican Hospital in Rockford, Ill. won an upgrade from Standard & Poor's and also received a positive outlook thanks to its nearly year-old affiliation with a stronger system.

The sales tax surcharge that financed improvements to the Green Bay Packers’ home -- Lambeau Field – has officially ended and about $18 million in surplus revenues are headed to local governments.

Standard & Poor's has revised its outlook to positive on Whiting, Wis.'s BBB-minus rating citing new practices in place to ensure it will keeps up to date on debt service payments.

Wisconsin heads into the market Monday with $42 million of environmental improvement fund revenue bonds that mark its inaugural outing under a new triple-A rated credit expected to benefit both the state and pool borrowers.

The nation's largest not-for-profit healthcare system — Ascension Health — will acquire the much smaller and lower-rated Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare's southeastern Wisconsin facilities.

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker is urging state lawmakers to sign off on $200 million of general obligation borrowing for transportation-related projects that face delays without the infusion of funds.

Wisconsin finished off its last fiscal year in the black with a narrow ending balance of $135.6 million, according to a new fiscal report from the Department of Administration.

Milwaukee takes bids Thursday on $180 million of revenue anticipation notes to meet the cash flow needs of the city’s public school district as it awaits tax and aid payments.

Morgan Stanley will be lead investment banker for the Wisconsin Center District board as it crafts a borrowing plan for the new Milwaukee Bucks arena; the district has named an initial legal, advisory, and banking team.

The new $500 million arena for the National Basketball Association’s Milwaukee Bucks took a step forward when the city approved its contribution toward a $250 million public funding package.

Standard & Poor's stripped Lawrence, Wis. of its investment grade rating after learning of the risky terms in the municipality’s direct placement debt contracts.

The Milwaukee Common Council is expected to consider at its meeting Sept. 22 the use of $47 million in public funds to help finance a new $500 million arena for National Basketball Association’s Milwaukee Bucks.

Standard & Poor’s view of the University of Wisconsin Hospital & Clinics Authority’s A-plus credit has brightened.

Wisconsin takes competitive bids on $391 million of general obligation debt Tuesday with more than half earmarked for transportation projects.

Investment banks interested in working on Wisconsin's financing for a new $500 million Milwaukee Bucks professional basketball arena have until Sept. 1 to submit their qualifications, as officials want to get the deal done by the end of the year.