News and Information from Bond Buyer

Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton tapped his Department of Revenue Commissioner Myron Frans to replace Jim Schowalter in the state's top fiscal post at Minnesota Management and Budget, which oversees debt management.

Falling crude prices may make an increase in the federal gasoline tax more politically palatable.

The Treasury Department Thursday auctioned $13 billion of 29-year 11-month bonds with a 3% coupon at a 2.848% high yield, a price of 103.043970.

The municipal bond market on Thursday is seeing the last of this week's big new issues priced. Municipal bonds were slightly lower at mid-session.

Virginia plans to offer federal qualified energy conservation bond financing to support the state's first program to assist public and private entities in implementing energy-saving projects.

MTA officials heard Staten Island officials and residents tell them that they and other outer boroughs are shortchanged.

Standard & Poor's Ratings Services said it raised its long-term rating on the village of Campbellsport, Wis.' series 2011 general obligation corporate purpose bonds and 2009 GO refunding bonds three notches to A-minus from BBB-minus.

Ratings on many of California's cities continue to recover from the recession, but credit rating distribution in the state remains uneven, according to a report from Standard & Poor's.

Standard & Poor's Ratings Services said it has raised its rating on Brazoria County Municipal Utility District No. 19, Texas' general obligation debt outstanding one notch to BBB-plus from BBB.

The renewal of a 1% temporary sales tax that was set to expire this year will help aid Philadelphia's underfunded pension fund, the city's treasurer Nancy Winkler explained in a speech before the Municipal Forum of New York Wednesday.

Standard & Poor's Ratings Services said it lowered its underlying rating to A-minus from A on Shelby, Ohio's previously issued general obligation debt.

Massachusetts investors will get to review the past four years and peer at the future at the commonwealth's fourth annual conference in Boston.

The Treasury Department said it will auction $16 billion four-year four-month 1/8% inflation-indexed bonds on Thursday, Dec. 18.

The Treasury Department said Thursday it will auction $24 billion 91-day bills and $26 billion 182-day discount bills Monday.

Nevada's new Republican majority in the state legislature and Republican Gov. Brian Sandoval are facing a budget shortfall and anemic revenues that could test anti-tax increase pledges as Sandoval hints at reforms to the tax structure.

Daily Economic indicators box Indicator Last Report Forecast Actual Import Prices Oct.: -1.2% Nov.: -1.8% Nov.: -1.5% Initial Jobless Claims 11/29: 297,000 12/6: 296,000 12/6: 294,000 Continuing Claims 11/22: 2.372M 11/29: 2.350M 11/29: 2.514M Retail Sales Oct.: +0.5% Nov.: +0.4% Nov.: +0.7% ex-Autos Oct.: +0.4% Nov.: +0.1% Nov.: +0.5% Business Inventories Sept.: +0.3% Oct.: +0.2% Oct.: +0.2%

Business inventories rose 0.2% to $1.760 trillion in October, while sales were down 0.1% to $1.351 trillion, the Commerce Department reported Thursday.

Standard & Poor's Ratings Services said it lowered its underlying rating for credit program on Whittemore-Prescott Area School District, Mich.'s general obligation (GO) debt to BBB-plus from A-minus.

The municipal bond market on Thursday will see the last of this week's big new issues. On Wednesday, more supply priced with the Los Angeles Community College District, Calif., coming to market with almost $2 billion of bonds.

Standard & Poor's Ratings Services said it lowered its underlying rating for credit program to A from A-plus on Almont Community Schools, Mich.'s general obligation bonds.