Southeast

WASHINGTON - Virginia is using a public-private partnership to put another tunnel under the Elizabeth River between Norfolk and Portsmouth. Including improvements to existing tunnels and some surface road building, the project is budgeted at $1.9 billion.

BRADENTON, Fla. - Commissioners in Jefferson County, Ala., planned to meet Thursday to continue discussions about settling with creditors who own $3.14 billion of troubled sewer debt, or else file the largest-ever municipal bankruptcy in U.S. history.

The combined rebuilding program of Louisiana’s Orleans Parish School District and state-operated New Orleans Recovery School District needs to be reconsidered, a coalition of New Orleans business and civic groups said last week.

Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear said last week that the state closed fiscal 2011 with a $156.8 million general fund surplus due to the strength of positive revenues that exceeded budgeted levels.

Florida Department of Transportation Secretary Ananth Prasad has chosen a toll road industry veteran with more than 20 years of experience to be the executive director of Florida’s Turnpike Enterprise.

Florida’s elected Cabinet on Tuesday approved the issuance of up to $613 million of refunding bonds.

The Birmingham City Council Tuesday unanimously approved the issuance of $215 million of revenue bonds on behalf of the University of Alabama Health Services Foundation.

BRADENTON, Fla. - Attorneys representing Jefferson County and a financial adviser for Alabama told the Securities and Exchange Commission Friday that there is room for improving disclosure practices while striking a balance with the needs of financially struggling issuers.

DALLAS - A proposed $748 million capital improvement proposal for East Baton Rouge Parish, La., will proceed despite the refusal by a majority of parish commissioners to consider the plan, Mayor-President Melvin "Kip" Holden said Thursday.

BRADENTON, Fla. - Jefferson County, Ala., Thursday agreed to take the next week to review a counteroffer submitted by creditors holding $3.14 billion of variable- and auction-rate sewer warrants on which the government has defaulted.