News and Information from Bond Buyer

U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Alan C. Stout will decide after hearings on Dec. 9 and 10 whether Hillview, Ky., is eligible to proceed with its bankruptcy petition.

Municipal bonds, tax-exempts, munis, taxable munis, Treasury bonds, primary bond market, secondary bond market, public finance, government finance, Kansas, New York, District of Columbia

Rates should go up "sooner rather than later," Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco President and CEO John C. Williams said Wednesday.

Two dealer groups are urging the Securities and Exchange Commission to disapprove the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board’s proposed municipal advisor core conduct rule, despite an amendment that would provide an exception to the rule’s controversial principal transaction ban.

Municipal investors said Puerto Rico’s $355 million Government Development Bank note payment and claw-back debt management plan did little to resolve the island’s debt crisis.

Backers of a California initiative want voter approval on revenue bonds issued for state projects costing more than $2 billion.

General revenue offsets totaling $70 billion in the five-year highway bill must cover a shortfall in gas tax collections.

Municipal bonds were stronger at midday according to traders, as yields were as lower by as much as two basis points.

Standard & Poor's Ratings Services said it raised its long-term rating and underlying rating on East Hampton, Conn.'s general obligation bonds to AAA from AA-plus.

Philadelphia International Airport CEO Mark Gale is retiring after six years running the nation’s 12th busiest airport.

The Independent Budget Office’s latest budget options for New York City include sustainability and local environmental measures, from a city-based carbon tax to a congestion surcharge for taxi and for-hire vehicle pickups.

Seven U.S. cities intend to dedicate 10% of their annual budgets toward resilience strategies under a worldwide program designed to fortify urban centers.

While hedging that incoming data will determine whether the Federal Open Market Committee begins the normalization process this month, Federal Reserve Board Chair Janet Yellen suggested Wednesday that she's ready for a rate increase.

Chicago Public Schools’ chief financial officer, Ginger Ostro, is leaving the troubled district.

Indicator Last Report Forecast Actual ADP Employment Report Oct.: +196,000 Nov.: +175,000 Nov.: +217,000 Productivity Q2: +3.5% Q3: +2.1% Q3: +2.2% Unit Labor Costs Q2: +2.0% Q3: +0.9% Q3: +1.8%

Municipal bonds traders were awaiting the second leg of this week's hefty new issue calendar to come to market on Wednesday.

New York City business activity "moderated to a still healthy pace," in November, as the current business conditions index slipped to 60.7, from 65.8 in October, the Institute for Supply Management-New York's Report on Business index, released Wednesday, indicated.

Illinois will make its scheduled $560 million December pension payment despite the ongoing state budget impasse, state comptroller Leslie Geissler Munger says.

The Midwest Economy Index narrowed to negative 0.14 in October from a downwardly revised negative 0.17 in September, first reported as negative 0.15, the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago said Wednesday.

Private-sector employment increased by 217,000 in November, on a seasonally adjusted basis, ADP reported Wednesday.