Midwest

St. Louis’ issuer default and Municipal Finance Corp. ratings took a three notch tumble over negative trends and Fitch Ratings application of new criteria in assessing tax-supported debt.

Warren Evans, County Executive of Wayne County, Michigan, plans to use proceeds of the county’s wastewater treatment center on pension debt.

Utica Community Schools in Macomb County, Michigan, suffered a three-notch downgrade as declining enrollment takes its toll on the district’s books.

Oil price volatility continues to take a toll on bond ratings in Williston, North Dakota, where S & P Global Ratings lowered its rating on $44.5 million of public safety sales tax revenue bonds.

Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner and legislative leaders are shifting away from efforts to reach a two-year budget deal to focus instead on a six-month stopgap spending plan.

While Chicago general obligation paper faces steep trading penalties and rating challenges, the city’s airport paper is faring much better.

The Regional Transit Authority of Southeast Michigan plans to ask voters in Wayne, Oakland, Macomb and Washtenaw counties to approve a 1.5 mill property tax increase for improved transit .

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel heralded public safety pension relief granted by state lawmakers who are winding down a regular session that is unlikely to provide similar clarity for the troubled Chicago public schools.

Michigan’s struggling cities won’t be able to reverse their declining fiscal health if they continue to depend on the state’s faulty revenue sharing system, the Michigan Municipal League said in a report.

Chicago will get more time to phase in higher public safety pension contributions after state lawmakers overrode a veto by Gov. Bruce Rauner, but no end is in sight to the state’s budget stalemate.