News and Information from Bond Buyer

The $1.3 billion sweep of non general fund accounts to help close a shortfall in Illinois' current budget drew $300 from key transportation funds used to pay for capital projects and cover debt service, according to a report from a local government watchdog organization.

Congress should consider raising motor fuels taxes to shore up the dwindling Highway Trust Fund, a bipartisan grassroots group advocating responsible fiscal policy said this week.

Hoosier lawmakers are revamping the state's school funding formula to boost money for growing suburban districts in a move that critics say will challenge already struggling urban districts like Indianapolis and Gary.

Standard & Poor's affirmed its A-plus rating on the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency's Series 2005A capital fund security revenue bonds and removed its rating from credit watch with negative implications.

Prices of top-rated municipal bonds were stronger, according to traders, as yields on some maturities were off by as much as two basis points on the intermediate and long ends.

Raising the minimum wage to $15 per hour in New York City by 2019 would boost wages by $10 billion a year and benefit its nearly 1.5 million workers, Comptroller Scott Stringer said.

The Treasury Department Tuesday auctioned $30 billion of four-week bills at a 0.015% high yield, a price of 99.998833.

Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority bondholders have offered to extend their forbearance agreement with PREPA for another 30 days, according to a public relations firm for PREPA forbearing bondholders.

Indicator Last Report Forecast Actual PPI Feb.: -0.5% March: +0.2% March: +0.2% PPI Core Feb.: -0.5% March: +0.1% March: +0.2% Retail Sales Feb.: -0.5% March: +1.0% March: +0.9% ex-Autos Feb.: unch March: +0.6% March: +0.4% Business Inventories Jan.: unch Feb.: +0.2% Feb.: +0.3%

Former San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed is digging in for more pushback from the largest public pension fund in the U.S. in his latest push to give California municipalities more leeway to control pension costs.

This week, we discuss a new measure of pension funding, examine the impact of oil prices on labor markets in oil dependent States and discuss changing levels of food stamp participation.

Business inventories were up 0.3% to $1.790 trillion in February, while sales were unchanged at $1.313 trillion, the Commerce Department reported Tuesday.

The municipal bond market is ready to absorb the first of the week's larger new issues, with deals expected to be priced both for retail and institutions on Tuesday.

Standard & Poor's Ratings Services said it raised its long-term rating to BBB-minus from BB-minus on California Municipal Finance Authority's series 2006A education revenue bonds, issued for the American Heritage Education Foundation (AHEF), on behalf of the Heritage K-8 Charter School, and Escondido Charter High School (all three composing Heritage Education).

Small business optimism declined in March, as the Small Business Optimism Index slid to 95.2 from 98.0 in February, as some economic indicators also suggested weakness in the economy, according to the National Federation of Independent Business.

Apr. 14, 2015 Southwest: Plain/Insured GO Yield Curve* State Ratings One-Year Five-Year 10-Year 30-Year Arizona Aa3/AA+/NR 0.24 1.38 2.27 3.16 Arkansas Aa1/AA/NR 0.19 1.27 2.06 2.94 Colorado Aa1/AA/NR 0.21 1.33 2.15 3.06 Kansas Aa1/AA+/NR 0.19 1.31 2.14 3.02 New Mexico Aaa/AA+/NR 0.19 1.28 2.06 2.95 Oklahoma Aa2/AA+/AA+ 0.22 1.34 2.17 3.06 Texas Aaa/AAA/AAA 0.21 1.29 2.12 3 Utah Aaa/AAA/AAA 0.19 1.21 1.97 2.84

4/13/2015 4/6/2015 State Amount ($000s) Iss Amount ($000s) Chg in Amt ($000s) Arizona 2 $74,785 3 $47,255 $27,530 Arkansas 8 62,665 7 97,610 -34,945 Colorado 3 282,780 1 250,000 32,780 Kansas 1 61,345 8 108,260 -46,915 New Mexico 5 75,080 1 16,540 58,540 Oklahoma 16 63,685 17 39,160 24,525 Texas 52 1,231,688 50 1,828,444 -596,756 Utah 1 61,710 0 0 61,710

Tuesday, April 14 Issuer St Description Amount

Tuesday, April 14 Issuer St Description Amount

Week Of April 13 Issuer St Description Amount