Midwest

Midwestern voters face a mix bag of bond and electoral questions Tuesday including bond referenda, and a pension measure in Cincinnati.

Moody's Investors Service revised its outlook to negative on Indiana-based Franciscan Alliance, affecting more than $1.1 billion of debt.

Illinois' unfunded pension obligations have hit the $100 billion mark for the first time based on fiscal 2013 results that showed further deterioration, according to a new Civic Federation of Chicago report.

Ahead of a $30 million deal, ratings analysts said Michigan continues to rebound from recession and appears well protected against fallout from the Chapter 9 bankruptcy of its largest city, Detroit.

Wayne County, Mich., centered on Detroit, was downgraded to Standard & Poor's lowest investment grade rating in its third downgrade from a major ratings agency in three months.

Chicago plans more than $1.5 billion of borrowing next year but it will come at a higher cost due to credit deterioration over its pension woes, Chicago's chief financial officer Lois Scott warned council members.

Fitch Ratings knocked Detroit's Downtown Development Authority – planning a $650 million hockey arena and entertainment complex -- into junk-ratings territory.

The largest of the Illinois' five state pension funds reported its unfunded obligations rose in fiscal 2013 to $55.7 billion from $52.1 billion a year earlier despite double-digit investment returns.

Detroit’s bankruptcy eligibility trial will continue into next week after five days of testimony in which Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder and Detroit emergency manager Kevyn Orr sparred with creditor attorneys.

The Regional Transportation Authority of Illinois wants the state to expand its borrowing powers and reduce those of the Chicago Transit Authority, which disagrees.