News and Information from Bond Buyer

Jan. 12, 2016 Southwest: Plain/Insured GO Yield Curve* State Ratings One-Year Five-Year 10-Year 30-Year Arizona Aa3/AA+/NR 0.55 1.23 2 2.97 Arkansas Aa1/AA/NR 0.52 1.14 1.83 2.79 Colorado Aa1/AA/NR 0.52 1.19 1.93 2.92 Kansas Aa1/AA+/NR 0.5 1.19 1.93 2.88 New Mexico Aaa/AA+/NR 0.5 1.13 1.84 2.82 Oklahoma Aa2/AA+/AA+ 0.54 1.22 1.95 2.92 Texas Aaa/AAA/AAA 0.54 1.16 1.88 2.86 Utah Aaa/AAA/AAA 0.5 1.07 1.74 2.7

1/11/2016 1/4/2016 State Amount ($000s) Iss Amount ($000s) Chg in Amt ($000s) Arizona 2 $54,175 1 5,990 $48,185 Arkansas 5 22,705 1 2,445 20,260 Colorado 0 0 1 34,110 -34,110 Kansas 8 271,376 3 7,921 263,455 New Mexico 2 31,100 1 1,100 30,000 Oklahoma 13 16,425 19 29,230 -12,805 Texas 47 1,157,587 19 1,298,122 -140,535 Utah 2 154,025 2 99,695 54,330

New Jersey legislative leaders and Gov. Chris Christie reached an agreement Monday on a measure to expand casino gambling beyond Atlantic City.

Government

The Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board had $69.52 million of net assets at the end of September, nearly triple the $25.94 million it had five years ago, according to MSRB financial documents.

Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards just after taking the oath of office Monday pledged to repair the state's budget and expand the state's health insurance program.

California revenues beat projections by $844.6 million for the first half of the 2015-16 fiscal year.

Top-quality municipal bonds finished weaker on Monday, according to traders, with yields on some maturities rising by as much as three basis points. In the primary on Monday, Citigroup released a pre-marketing scale on Chicago's $500 million deal, according to market sources.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers plans to spend $3.6 million in federal funding for flood protection along the Los Angeles River as El Nino storms continue to roll in.

Pennsylvania's interim budget reinforces the commonwealth's commitment to supporting full, timely payment of school district debt, Fitch Ratings says.

The University of Houston will issue $272 million of tuition revenue bonds that that combine taxable and tax-exempt debt.

Omnibus federal budget law revives more than $2 billion of unexpended state road earmarks for new use.

Former Rhode Island House finance committee chairman Steven Costantino is scheduled to testify before an oversight panel about his role in the passage of the job creation guaranty program that provided a $75 million loan to failed video game company 38 Studios.

Public pension fund advisors are among a handful of new examination priorities for the Securities and Exchange Commission in 2016.

A lawsuit filed late last week seeks to block construction Golden State Warriors event center and mixed-use development project in San Francisco.

The New Jersey Turnpike Authority is slated to sell $149 million of revenue bonds later this week to refund old debt.

David Friedfel, the former commissioner of management and budget for Albany County, N.Y., is the new director of state studies at the Citizens Budget Commission watchdog organization.

The Federal Open Market Committee will be able to raise rates again this year as the economy continues to recover, but Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta President Dennis Lockhart said he'll be keeping a close eye on inflation.

Winning the second annual Jim Lebenthal Infrastructure Champion Award is special for Dale Horowitz, who bonded with Lebenthal during their long municipal finance careers.

The lack of supply to meet demand – especially for yield – is seen as benefitting Chicago, Chicago Public Schools, and Illinois when all three fiscally distressed credits land in the bond market during the next two weeks.