Midwest

A group pushing for development of a $1.3 billion regional mass-transit system in two central Indiana counties renewed their push last week, urging lawmakers to approve a voter referendum.

Former Dixon, Ill., Comptroller Rita Crundwell entered a guilty plea last week to federal fraud charges for stealing $53 million in city funds since 1990 to fund a lavish lifestyle that included a quarter horse farming business.

Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn this week launched an Internet-based grassroots campaign aimed at raising public support for pension reforms.

Cuyahoga County, Ohio's most populous county and home of Cleveland, next week plans to price $101 million of bonds, the first general obligation sale under the new executive-style government.

Triple-A rated Oakland County wants to take advantage of a new state law and issue GO bonds to refinance roughly $500 million of outstanding certificates of participation it issued in 2007 to cover its retiree health care liability.

Assured Guaranty Corp. is asking an Iowa court to name a receiver to oversee the Xenia Rural Water District which has struggled to repay $81 million of outstanding revenue bonds insured by the company.

The Indiana Finance Authority selected a P3 team led by Walsh Investors for its half of the $2.6 billion Ohio River Bridges project that is a joint effort between the Hoosier State and Kentucky.

Illinois ended the last fiscal quarter with a pile of $5.9 billion in overdue bills, $2 billion more than a year ago even though tax collections are on the rise, Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka reported this week.

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel's $6.5 billion 2013 budget easily won City Council approval as most members praised the plan for holding the line on taxes while holdouts voiced misgivings over police staffing and revenue projections.

Detroit Mayor Dave Bing and the Michigan treasurer Thursday signed a new agreement outlining 10 key reforms the city must implement over the next several weeks to access dollars from a bond-funded escrow account controlled by the state.