Midwest

Fitch Ratings on Monday affirmed the Southeast Missouri Hospital ­Association’s BBB-plus rating while revising its outlook to positive due to the hospital’s improved liquidity position.

CHICAGO — The Wisconsin Health and Educational Facilities Authority has maintained a sound financial position but has bypassed state law to over-compensate its longtime executive director, Lawrence Nines, according to a legislative audit bureau review.

CHICAGO — Douglas County School District 1, Nebraska’s largest school system, will enter the market this week with $89.5 million of refunding bonds.

CHICAGO — Voters across Michigan approved a series of school bond proposals in Tuesday’s election, while splitting on controversial tax increases proposed by two struggling cities in Oakland County.

CHICAGO — Menasha will seek voter approval in an April 6 referendum to sell its electric utility assets in a deal that would help the Wisconsin city resolve a bondholder lawsuit stemming from its default on $23 million of bond anticipation notes issued for a now-shuttered steam plant.

CHICAGO — The financially struggling Clare at Water Tower, an upscale, high-rise senior-living development in downtown Chicago, has reached a preliminary restructuring agreement with a group of bondholders and its letter of credit bank that, if approved, would buy the facility more time to succeed.

CHICAGO — Gov. Pat Quinn’s effort to build support for an income tax hike to help dig Illinois out of a $12.8 billion budget hole and liquidity crisis was helped along this week by a local government watchdog group that endorsed tax increases if accompanied by $2.5 billion in spending cuts and pension reforms.

CHICAGO — The Indianapolis Local Public Improvement Bond Bank today will price $466.6 million of debt, marking the second piece of financing for a new $754 million public safety hospital in downtown Indianapolis.

Toledo Mayor Mike Bell last week said he decided not ask voters to increase the city’s income tax but will support a proposal giving it greater flexibility in how it spends part of the revenue.

Standard & Poor’s last week awarded a three-notch upgrade to the Lake Michigan Shoreline Water and Sewage Treatment Authority based on the strengthened credit quality of two of its members.