Midwest

The Michigan Legislature last week approved a bill to require public employees to contribute to their health care benefits.

Michigan Monday launched a preliminary financial review of Flint, making the long-struggling city the first to undergo such a review since the state passed a new, broader emergency management law.

Indianapolis and Citizens Energy Group, a nonprofit utility, announced last week the formal closure of a high-profile deal to sell the city’s water and sewer systems to Citizens.

The Chicago Board of Education last week unanimously approved a new $5.9 billion budget that eliminates a $712 million deficit through cuts, use of reserves, and a property tax hike.

CHICAGO — Raymond James & Associates Inc. has agreed to repurchase $31.2 million of auction-rate securities from Indiana investors affected by the failure of the auction-rate market in 2008, Indiana Secretary of State Charles White announced Wednesday.

CHICAGO — The Illinois State Toll Highway Authority board Thursday approved a $12 billion, 15-year capital program that relies on a steep increase in passenger tolls to repay $4.8 billion in borrowing and raise cash to maintain and expand its existing 286-mile system.

CHICAGO — Less than two weeks after its founding, Ohio Women in Public Finance has attracted more than 100 members.

CHICAGO — Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn this week signed legislation that paves the way for the state's future use of public-private partnerships to finance transportation projects, a change supporters hope will jump-start proposed projects that lack public funding.

CHICAGO — The emergency manager of Pontiac, Mich., said his plan to raise new money for the cash-strapped Detroit suburb relies on a court-ordered property tax increase.

CHICAGO — Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon has formally called for a special session of the General Assembly beginning on Sept. 6 and set an agenda that calls for passage of measures to promote job creation and tax-credit reforms.