Midwest

Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder last week said the state has still not made a final decision about whether to create its own health insurance exchange or let the federal government run one as part of the new federal health care law.

Indiana taxpayers will get a $111 credit on their income-tax returns next year thanks to a new law that requires a taxpayer refund if the state’s surplus totals more than 10% of the budget.

Lake County, Ill., approved $90 million in borrowing to help finance its $119 million capital plan for judicial facilities, which includes construction of a new criminal courts tower.

After cancelling a special session Monday, the Detroit City Council could meet as early as Tuesday to reconsider last week's 8-1 rejection of a contract that would make Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone PLC the city's special counsel.

A day after the Detroit City Council rejected a key condition of the state's release of $30 million of badly needed bond proceeds, the city's CFO said that unpaid furlough days and other cuts could offset the loss and that "bankruptcy is not an option."

Moody's Investors Service said Tuesday that it is maintaining its negative outlook on Michigan's local school districts, nearly a quarter of which have been downgraded since 2009.

After three hours of angry public comment, Detroit City Council Tuesday rejected a legal contract with public finance firm Miller Canfield that the state said is needed to win release of badly needed bond proceeds from a state-controlled escrow account.

Fitch Ratings last week affirmed its AA-minus on Akron’s limited-tax general obligation bonds and income-tax revenue bonds.

The Michigan Supreme Court may consider a lawsuit that seeks to remove the emergency manager of Detroit Public Schools after voters overturned the state’s emergency management law Nov. 6.

The Iowa Finance Authority last week approved an up to $1.2 billion allocation of Midwestern Disaster Area Bonds for a new fertilizer plant.