Midwest

CHICAGO - Illinois lawmakers return Tuesday for their annual veto session facing a crowded agenda topped by a revamped gambling expansion bill, budget changes, pension reforms and ongoing talks over whether the state should borrow to pay down its bills.

CHICAGO - The Chicago Transit Authority heads to market as soon as Wednesday with $456 million of sales tax revenue bonds and as much as $96 million of new-money and refunding capital grant-backed bonds to fund the purchase of rail cars.

CHICAGO - The two-banker public finance team that covered the Michigan market for Mesirow Financial Inc. has joined Chicago-based Hutchinson Shockey Erley & Co. after Mesirow's closure of its Michigan office a few months ago.

CHICAGO - As problems of local governments garner national attention, Michigan's cities and towns continue to face significant stress, with half expecting more pressure next year, but some are starting to see slight improvement, according to a new report by the University of Michigan.

CHICAGO - The chair of a Senate subcommittee in Michigan Wednesday abruptly put off a key vote on a $4 billion, partly bond-funded bridge linking Detroit and Canada.

CHICAGO - Ohio State University is coming to market this week with at least $300 million of taxable general receipts bonds that feature 100-year maturities, marking the first time a public university has floated century bonds.

CHICAGO - Illinois will test for a range of investor appetites with its competitive sale of $300 million of sales-tax backed bonds on Tuesday by offering to accept both tax-exempt and taxable bids on the issue.

The Wisconsin Democratic Party announced last week that the recall effort against Republican Gov. Scott Walker will launch on Nov. 15.

Moody’s Investors Service affirmed Hazelden Foundation’s A3 rating ahead of its upcoming $20 million sale of fixed-rate debt to finance various projects that will raise the prominent Minnesota-based treatment center’s debt load by 70%.

Michigan could see an unexpected surplus of nearly $300 million for fiscal 2011, which ended Sept. 30.