Midwest

Growing unfunded pension liabilities and poor fund-balance levels are common challenges among many of the nine Chicago-area local governments whose finances are scrutinized by the Chicago Civic Federation.

Moody’s Investors Service last week downgraded to A3 from A2 the Metrohealth System in Ohio and revised the outlook to negative from stable.

Standard & Poor’s dropped its rating on the Omaha Metropolitan Utility District to A from A-plus due to decreasing debt service coverage levels, the ratings agency said last week.

Missouri budget revenues are expected to grow by 3.9% to $7.6 billion in fiscal 2013, officials said last week.

Standard & Poor’s has revised its outlook on Hannibal Regional Hospital’s BBB-plus rating to negative from stable as the Missouri facility struggles with declining admissions.

Moody’s Investors Service has affirmed Roosevelt University’s Baa2 rating, but analysts revised the outlook to negative from stable, partly because of recent enrollment challenges and stagnant tuition growth.

A Cook County Circuit Court judge last week dismissed a lawsuit challenging the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority’s steep increase in tolls that will take effect Jan. 1 to fund a $12 billion capital program.

The Lombard, Ill., Village Board will vote at a meeting late Tuesday on an appropriation of nearly $1 million to cover a shortfall in the Jan. 1 debt service payment owed on its conference center and hotel debt.

Illinois will kick off the new year with a competitive general obligation issue on Jan. 11 of between $500 million and $750 million to fund its ongoing public works program.

Detroit's stressed fiscal situation warrants a full-blown state review, Michigan's treasurer said in a preliminary analysis of city finances ordered by Gov. Rick Snyder.