Southeast

Moody's Investors Service on Tuesday downgraded DeKalb County's $471 million of outstanding general obligation unlimited-tax backed and parity debt, issued through various public authorities, to Aa1 from Aaa.

Alex Sink, Florida's elected chief financial officer who is running for governor in 2010, on Monday urged Federal Railroad Administration head Joseph Szabo to consider the state's request for $2.6 billion to develop a high-speed rail corridor between Tampa and Orlando.

Investors interested in today's $40 million competitive sale by New Orleans can bid for the debt as Build America Bonds or conventional general obligation bonds, with the lowest offered rate winning the entire tranche.

Dr. Rafick-Pierre Sekaly and other scientists at the Vaccine and Gene Therapy Institute of Florida are looking for "nothing short of cures" when it comes to diseases such as HIV, swine flu, and the West Nile virus, says the institute's chief operating officer, Mark Williams.

BRADENTON, Fla. — Florida Gov. Charlie Crist is urging U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood to approve Florida’s application for high-speed rail funding now that lawmakers have passed a statewide rail policy and funding bill.

BRADENTON, Fla. — Atlanta elected a new mayor after a recount and took steps to make the city eligible to sell $34 million of Recovery Zone facility bonds allocated by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

BRADENTON, Fla. — The Georgia Department of Transportation plans to offer its first public-private partnership concession earlier than planned next year with two metro Atlanta interstate highway projects estimated to cost more than $2 billion.

BRADENTON, Fla. — The Florida Legislature late Tuesday finished work on a bill enacting a statewide comprehensive passenger rail policy and providing funds for existing and new rail projects.

Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour has ordered another $54.3 million in budget cuts, as revenue projections have persistently outpaced actual collections.

Collections resulting from Louisiana’s state tax amnesty program totaled $450.6 million, more than triple the amount expected when it began. Another $15 million was generated through tax settlements that were not eligible for the program, the Department of Revenue said Monday.