Northeast

Standard & Poor's lowered its outlook to negative from stable on bonds issued for the New York Mets' ballpark, Citi Field, affecting $695.4 million of debt.

Pennsylvania, when its lawmakers convene next week, looks to become the latest state to consider issuing bonds to pay for billions of dollars in debt related to unemployment benefits.

East Providence, R.I., has received another multi-notch downgrade, this time from Standard & Poor's, which lowered the city's long-term general obligation rating three levels to a junk-status BB-plus from BBB-plus.

The Vermont Municipal Bond Bank refinanced debt through two series that it said helped 53 municipalities and school districts save nearly $6 million in future debt service payments.

Citing a worsening revenue outlook, the board of New York's Metropolitan Transportation Authority voted against restoring $20 million in bus and subway service cuts for fiscal 2012.

East Providence, R.I., officials are upset over Gov. Lincoln Chafee's appointment of a five-member commission to oversee the city's finances.

Cornell University's plans to establish an applied-sciences engineering campus in New York City should enhance the school in the big picture despite anticipated credit risks in the short-to-medium term, according to a major rating agency.

Former Maine Turnpike Authority executive director Paul Violette has settled a civil lawsuit over allegations that he used agency funds for personal benefit, agreeing along with two surety bonding providers to pay back damages totaling $430,000.

Moody's Investors Service on Tuesday dropped Long Beach, N.Y.'s general obligation rating five notches to Baa3 from A1, and placed the rating on review for a possible further downgrade.

Massachusetts plans a sale of $400 million of general obligation bonds by competitive bid on Tuesday.