Midwest

The Chicago Transit Authority this week proposed a $1.3 billion 2010 budget that relies on a fare hike, service cuts, other spending reductions, and dipping into capital funding to eliminate a $300 million operating deficit.

CHICAGO — Investment banks interested in working on the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority’s new-money and refunding bond sales planned over at least the next two years have until Oct. 20 to submit their qualifications to the agency.

CHICAGO — Henry Ford Health Systems is expected to enter the market this week with $322 million of new-money and refunding revenue bonds as part of the system’s scaled-back capital campaign to expand its services across southeast Michigan.

CHICAGO — Chicago and its philanthropic foundations have established the Chicago Recovery Partnership, a unique union aimed at speeding up the distribution, use, and then tracking and review of federal stimulus to benefit the city and its not-for-profit community.

CHICAGO — Iowa Gov. Chet Culver yesterday ordered an across-the-board 10% cut in spending to wipe out a shortfall in the state’s $6.3 billion fiscal 2010 budget due to dwindling revenue collections.

CHICAGO — Chicago expects to tap an array of federal stimulus debt programs in its sales of up to $2.85 billion of new-money and refunding general obligation and airport bonds that were submitted to the City Council for approval yesterday, chief financial officer Gene Saffold said.

CHICAGO — Froedtert & Community Health Inc. enters the market today to issue $187 million of revenue bonds to restructure some remaining insured auction-rate securities and variable-rate demand bonds and raise new money for various projects.

CHICAGO - Michigan could partner with private companies to build or operate its highways and bridges to boost badly needed transportation revenue under a bill being considered by the Legislature.

CHICAGO — The Ohio Water Development Authority tomorrow will begin taking retail orders on $225 million of triple-A rated refunding revenue bonds as part of its water pollution control loan fund program.

CHICAGO — In a transaction that will mark the state’s first-ever use of negotiation to sell its general obligation bonds, Minnesota is putting the finishing touches on a $480 million new-money issue with an eye towards testing retail appetite for its top-rated paper.