State of Illinois

Cameron Mock, chief of staff and senior fiscal advisor to the deputy governor of Illinois, Melissa Dubowski, deputy finance director of the city of Houston and John Markowitz, assistant treasurer of Transurban, join Innovation Editor Lynne Funk to discuss their day-to-day work navigating COVID-19 effects, budget stresses and the future of public finance post-pandemic. (25 minutes).

The coronavirus pandemic took its toll on Hawaii's credit rating Monday as Fitch cuts the Aloha State's GOs to AA. NYC TFA announces $1.1B sale for next week.

Tough decisions on spending and taxes lay ahead if Illinois voters reject a progressive income tax structure and federal coronavirus relief fails to pan out.

Chief of Staff for Deputy Governor, State of Illinois

The market will digest the once-again largest amount of new issues in 2020, including some higher-grade state GOs that have been quiet of late. Some participants said a back-up in rates could occur after a mostly quiet week.

Moody's followed S&P in issuing a shot across the bow on coronavirus-driven threats to Illinois' ratings that are one cut away from junk.

New revenue from a graduated tax without an accompanying long-term plan to tackle the state's fiscal woes won't solve them, the Civic Committee of the Commercial Club of Chicago warns.

S&P issued a bulletin Monday warning that pressure is mounting on Illinois' BBB-minus rating —the lowest investment grade — as federal relief remains stalled.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker warns of thousands of layoffs across illinois governments and a $1 billion hit to education funding if the federal government does provide relief.

Illinois' longest serving governor, James R. Thompson, died Friday due to heart complications.