Southeast

Moody’s Investors Service on Tuesday placed the A3 rating on Tampa General Hospital’s debt on review for possible downgrade.

As Birmingham, Ala., continues to plan a referendum on a $75 million bond issue, the local school superintendent is proposing to ask voters for a tax increase, according to the Birmingham News.

Standard & Poor's issued its first public rating of a public-private partnership in the United States, a BBB-minus for a project to build a tunnel under the Elizabeth River between Norfolk, Va., and Portsmouth.

BRADENTON, Fla. — The South Carolina Public Service Authority Tuesday prices $575 million of tax-exempt and taxable revenue bonds, much of which will further work on two new nuclear units cleared for licensing by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission last week.

BRADENTON, Fla. — Orange County, Fla., on Tuesday plans to take bids for $116.8 million of taxable and tax-exempt sales tax refunding bonds.

Treasurer Manju Ganeriwala has helped helm Virginia's finances through two governors and a global recession, and though the commonwealth has emerged in better shape than many states, she remains concerned about pension reform and what she feels are misguided efforts at muni market regulation by federal authorities.

Jefferson County, Ala.'s decision to skip general obligation warrant payments is yet another example of a troubling trend in municipal finance — the unwillingness to pay debts even when funds are available, observers said.

DALLAS — The Louisiana State Bond Commission approved expanded parameters for a planned refunding of gas and fuels-tax bonds to a maximum of $850 million from the $400 million approved two weeks ago.

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service is auditing two special assessment bond issues totaling $64.46 million that were sold in May 2006 by the Wentworth Estates Community Development District in Florida and went into default.

BRADENTON, Fla. — A proposed tax-credit program designed to raise money for the Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund, and reduce its reliance on the bond market, is raising eyebrows and questions.