Midwest

Top-rated Missouri will take competitive bids Tuesday on its long-planned $164 million general obligation refunding that will achieve double-digit savings and provide some budgetary relief.

A growing number of local officials are optimistic about their communities' future fiscal stability, a new University of Michigan survey shows. But problems persist, especially among larger jurisdictions struggling with retirement-related debt.

Chicago enters the market with $270 million of second lien wastewater revenue bonds Thursday in a deal to raise funds for the city's ramped up efforts to upgrade its aging sewer systems.

The merger of HealthPartners Inc. with Park Nicollet Health Services won't have an immediate impact on the ratings of either system, Standard & Poor's said in a report.

Fitch Ratings last week downgraded $41.1 million of transportation improvement bonds issued by the Butler County Transportation Improvement District, Ohio, to A from AA-minus. The outlook is negative.

Standard & Poor’s lowered its rating on Brentwood School District, Mo., two notches to A-plus. The outlook is stable. The district has no near-term borrowing plans.

The University of Michigan Health System last week announced it has signed an agreement to acquire a piece of MidMichigan Health, a nonprofit system that serves a 14-county region in the center of the state.

A key city-county council committee approved a controversial plan last week to expand Indianapolis’ large, lucrative downtown tax-increment financing district.

Moody's Investors Service downgraded to A1 from Aa3 its rating on the Kendall County Forest Preserve District's general obligation debt based on narrow general-fund reserves and use of one-time revenues to cover operating deficits.

The Chicago Infrastructure Trust board last week approved bylaws that open up its activities and books to the city’s inspector general.