City of Chicago, IL

Photos from The Bond Buyer's 2023 Infrastructure conference.

Photos from The Bond Buyer's 2023 Infrastructure conference.

Investors and ratings analysts look beyond the bevy of local hospitality taxes backing MetPier's debt to the state sales tax that acts as the paper's ultimate security.

How to fill the gap left by ridership declines is the question facing transit agencies, said panelists at The Bond Buyer's Infrastructure Conference.

Mayor Brandon Johnson is set to unveil a spending blueprint with new revenue proposals next month.

"In the coming weeks, we will be taking a much closer look at the challenges we face and how we will address those challenges reasonably and responsibly," said Mayor Brandon Johnson.

"As an investor I'm not looking at the activity of the stadium as the security," said an Illinois sports authority bondholder of potential exits by the White Sox and Chicago Bears.

Under Reynolds' leadership, Loop has grown into a full-service investment firm with more than 260 employees that's one of the world's largest minority or women-owned investment banking firms.

The Senate proclamation says Shields left behind "an indelible mark on the public finance industry."

Her prolific coverage and willingness to share knowledge with local reporters brought transparency and accountability to Midwest public finance.

"Yvette was everything a reporter should be — perpetually curious, tenacious, whip smart, and unafraid to ask the tough questions," said Mike Scarchilli, editor in chief of The Bond Buyer.

Several guideposts have also already been offered as Mayor Brandon Johnson must balance his campaign pledges on funding new investments and structurally balancing the budget while holding the line on property taxes as the city deals with crime, rising costs, and end of federal COVID-19 funds.

While all four of Chicago's weakly funded pension funds hit a milestone by posting modest increases in their funded ratios in 2021, they lost ground in 2022 due to investment losses driving up the city's pension burden to $35.4 billion

The task force expects to "form sub-groups to address specific pension issues and dedicated revenue as part of a comprehensive and balanced approach."

Jack Brofman will start at the University of Chicago July 17 as executive director of global treasury operations.

"We are looking for parity with what's in Joliet contract. That is what would successfully allow us to work with the city of Chicago and that would make that alternative the preferred alternative over a new source water project," the commission's Paul May said.

All constitutional options need to be on the table, state Sen. Robert Martwick said, including fund consolidation, pension obligation bonds, new taxes and more.

A top advisor to Brandon Johnson said his administration is still waiting on the advice of incoming CFO Jill Jaworski and budget director Annette Guzman.

The Biden Administration has partnered with five cities and the State of California in efforts to reduce homelessness.

With hotel taxes unlikely to keep pace with debt service , the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority is eyeing a restructuring to extend final bond maturity.