News and Information from Bond Buyer

MassDevelopment issues a $17 million tax-exempt bond on behalf of nonprofit CIL Realty, which plans to renovate and build 20 group homes for disabled persons.

Chamber of Commerce chief Tom Donahue says oil price drop makes federal gas tax increase seem more attractive.

The Illinois attorney general has made her pitch to the state Supreme Court on behalf of legislation designed to restructure the state employee pension system.

The University of Notre Dame's sale Tuesday of $400 million of taxable bonds may have won the lowest corporate yield for a 30-year maturity in history, according to the finance team.

As has been the case for much of the year, economic growth remains "modest" or "moderate," according to the latest Beige Book report released Wednesday.

Rebecca Harrigal, director of the Internal Revenue Service's tax-exempt bonds office, will provide updates on TEB's work in fiscal 2015 during an audio webcast next month, the IRS said Wednesday.

As Alabama sells the final tranche of bonds its $1 billion transportation program, other states gear up for legislative sessions aimed at funding billions in back-logged needs.

The Treasury Department Thursday auctioned $13 billion of 29-year 10-month bonds with a 3% coupon at a 2.430% high yield, a price of 112.041418.

Analysts attribute the spate of municipal bankruptcies since 2011 to the aftereffects of the 2008 credit crisis and Great Recession, as well as changing attitudes about debt.

Standard & Poor's Ratings Services said it raised to A-minus from BBB-plus the ratings on Northampton County General Purpose Authority, Pa.'s and Lehigh County General Purpose Authority, Pa.'s revenue bonds and New Jersey Health Care Facilities Financing Authority's bonds, all issued for St. Luke's University Health Network (SLUHN; formerly known as St. Luke's Hospital & Health Network).

Minnesota would impose a tax on wholesale sales of gasoline to help generate at least $800 million in new revenue annually for transportation projects under a proposal unveiled by Senate majority leaders.

Municipal bonds could get caught up in corporate tax reform, particularly if infrastructure financing is involved, a former Treasury Department official said.

The municipal bond market on Wednesday is watching the New York City Transitional Finance Authority issue, which has been priced for institutions.