Midwest

Triple-A rated Oakland County Tuesday sold $58 million of wastewater bonds to finance the purchase of Pontiac's sewer system. The troubled Detroit suburb will use the cash to pay off its debt and eliminate a general fund deficit.

The Minnesota Legislature is tentatively planning to meet for a special session on Aug. 24 to approve aid for the flood-ravaged Duluth area.

Minnesota's HealthEast Care System won back its investment grade rating last week from Standard & Poor's in recognition of its improving balance sheet.

The Flint, Mich., City Council last week voted to file a lawsuit to prevent the new emergency financial manager from taking office, saying the city's financial position has significantly improved since the state took it over last December.

Residents in the three-county Detroit area approved a tax increase that will allow the Detroit Institute of Arts to stay open.

A state investigation into the Allen Park, Mich. finances revealed a myriad of financial and political problems, including a bond debt the city can barely pay.

Detroit on Thursday will offer $123 million of state aid-backed bonds that the city's chief financial officer says will help generate enough of a cash cushion to carry the city through the fiscal year.

Illinos Gov. Pat Quinn last week signed legislation extending special taxing districts known as enterprise zones for 25 years.

Chicago may have chipped away at its structural budget gap this year, but fiscal stress looms in the coming years as debt service and pension costs rise along with health care and other personnel costs.

A federal judge is allowing a lawsuit against the $2.6 billion Ohio River Bridges Project to proceed. Judge John Heyburn ordered briefs filed by the end of February.