News and Information from Bond Buyer

Muni professionals who take a Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board-owned qualifications exam on or after April 1 will pay an increased fee of $150, the MSRB announced this week.

Rhode Island and unions challenging its landmark 2011 pension benefit are working to settle the case and avoid a jury trial.

Some local governments may require extraordinary financial assistance from the Commonwealth, adding to pressure on its general obligations.

Pennsylvania Attorney General Kathleen Kane expects to finish her investigation of the Harrisburg incinerator bond financing fiasco soon, she told lawmakers.

The municipal bond market is in wait-and-see mode ahead of the Federal Open Market Committee’s statement on monetary policy.

Mar. 18, 2015 Midwest: Plain/Insured GO Yield Curve* State Ratings One-Year Five-Year 10-Year 30-Year Illinois A3/A+/A+ 0.65 2.53 3.59 4.48 Indiana Aaa/AAA/AA+ 0.15 1.41 2.24 3.05 Iowa Aaa/AAA/AAA 0.15 1.42 2.24 3.05 Michigan Aa2/AA/AA 0.18 1.5 2.4 3.23 Minnesota Aa1/AA+/AA+ 0.15 1.38 2.17 2.96 Missouri Aaa/AAA/AAA 0.15 1.36 2.15 2.96 Nebraska NR/AAA/NR 0.15 1.43 2.29 3.13 North Dakota Aa1/AA+/NR 0.16 1.46 2.31 3.13 Ohio Aa1/AA+/AA+ 0.17 1.47 2.28 3.11 South Dakota NR/AA+/AA+ 0.17 1.45 2.32 3.15 Wisconsin Aa2/AA/AA 0.18 1.47 2.31 3.13

3/17/2015 3/10/2015 State # Iss Amount ($000) # Iss Amount ($000) Chg in Amt ($000s) Illinois 11 $345,475 8 $72,505 272,970 Indiana 10 113,575 9 117,525 ?3,950 Iowa 6 23,410 14 84,180 ?60,770 Michigan 2 15,395 13 645,030 ?629,635 Minnesota 30 250,240 26 269,562 ?19,322 Missouri 3 133,935 6 274,475 ?140,540 Nebraska 1 141,000 2 302,340 ?161,340 North Dakota 0 0 1 6,510 ?6,510 Ohio 11 188,290 9 230,025 ?41,735 South Dakota 0 0 0 0 0 Wisconsin 29 379,545 35 173,515 206,030

Wednesday, March 18 Issuer St Description Amount

Wednesday, March 18 Issuer St Description Amount

Week Of March 16 Issuer St Description Amount

Week Of March 16 Issuer St Description Amount

ARIZONA

ARIZONA

Government

Indian River County, Fla., plans to file a federal lawsuit challenging the U.S. Department of Transportation's private activity bond allocation for the All Aboard Florida passenger train project.

Corpus Christi, Texas, will price $141 million of fixed and variable-rate bonds for its Mary Rhodes Pipeline project with the benefit of a one-notch upgrade from Standard & Poor's.

RBC Capital Markets purchased a $246 million bond anticipation note from Puerto Rico Monday, supported by a recently passed oil tax increase.

The Louisiana Tobacco Settlement Financing Corp. gave preliminary approval to issuing up to $875 million in tobacco bonds.

Prices of top-rated municipal bonds finished stronger on Tuesday, traders, said, with yields on some maturities closing down as much as three basis points. Meanwhile, more than $3 billion of new issues came to market, led off by big sales from Honolulu, the Illinois Finance Authority and the state of Oregon.

Moody's Investors Service said it has upgraded Cattaraugus County, N.Y.'s $41 million in outstanding parity debt to Aa3 from A1.