Midwest

With no let-up in tensions over a budget impasse, Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner told House Speaker Michael Madigan Wednesday to get behind his reintroduced policy and governance reforms or push through a tax hike on his own choosing.

Months after the original private owner of the publicly owned toll road went bankrupt, the new owner, Australian fund manager fund IFM Investors, is set to complete the financing of its takeover bid next week.

Chicago and unions challenging its overhaul of the municipal and laborers’ pension funds square off in court Thursday with the city’s efforts to stabilize its rocky fiscal foundation at stake.

Illinois Comptroller Leslie Geissler Munger plans an appeal of a court decision barring her from meeting the full state payroll without a fiscal 2016 in place, a decision that ups pressure on state leaders to resolve a budget impasse.

The Wisconsin Legislature was expected to take up a two-year, $70 billion budget Tuesday after majority Republicans resolved key sticking points within their caucuses.

Moody's Investors Service punished the highly rated Chicago area water district anew for its shared tax base with the city, county, and schools that are struggling under the weight of big pension burdens.

John Hoeven, a Republican Senator and former governor of North Dakota, is keeping states' needs in mind with his bill to create Move America Bonds.

After years of political stalemate, Michigan lawmakers appear close to a deal to tackle the state's aging roads and bridges with legislation that relies heavily on general fund dollars.

The Metropolitan Council of the Twin Cities takes competitive bids June 8 on $150 million of general obligation bonds to fund parks, transit, and wastewater projects in the region.

Standard & Poor's, in a comment, said it is not taking action on Illinois' bond rating but is keeping a close eye on stalemated budget negotiations.