News and Information from Bond Buyer

Moody's Investors Service said it has downgraded to Aa2 from Aa1 the rating on McLean County School District 87's (Bloomington, Ill.) general obligation bonds.

Moody's Investors Service said it has upgraded to Aa3 from A1 the rating on the Industrial Development Authority of the town of Front Royal and the county of Warren, Va.'s $60.5 million lease revenue bonds, Series 2004B.

Moody's Investors Service said it has upgraded to A2 from A3 the rating on city of Tampa, Fla., solid waste enterprise's $101.1 million of outstanding rated debt.

Standard & Poor's Ratings Services said it raised its rating on Mobile County, Ala.'s existing general obligation debt to AA from AA-minus due to the county's ongoing role as a regional economic center and ongoing strong financial performance coupled with strong financial management policies.

Fitch upgraded Miami's GO ratings Nov. 7 to A-plus from A-minus based on the city's improved financial performance while noting management and legal challenges.

Voters across Texas approved $5.59 billion of the more than $6.8 billion of bonds on the ballot, according to the Austin consulting firm Strategic Partnerships Inc.

Wednesday, November 12 Issuer St Description Amount

Wednesday, November 12 Issuer St Description Amount

Week Of November 10 Issuer St Description Amount

Week Of November 10 Issuer St Description Amount

COLORADO

Government

New Trier Township High School District 203's board of education will discuss borrowing plans at a meeting next week following voter approval for an $89 million bonding referendum for renovations to its Winnetka, Ill. campus.

Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear has appointed Crit Luallen to become the state's new lieutenant governor.

California's revenues for the month of October came in at 12.3% above estimates, according to State Controller John Chiang.

The taxable portion of the $1 billion Hawaii general obligation deal will generate more interest than the tax-exempt part, traders said.

The Internal Revenue Service concluded that an Indian tribe's authority is a political subdivision that can issue tax-exempt bonds. The agency also granted a school district an extension to spend the proceeds of qualified school construction bonds it issued.

The municipal market should expect increased attention from the Securities and Exchange Commission's enforcement division, with a focus on pension fund abuses and pay to play violations, the SEC's top cop said Monday.

Time limits to the length of stays in Pennsylvania's distressed-municipalities program will have a mixed effect on Keystone State cities' credits, according to Moody's Investors Service.

The Missouri Joint Municipal Electric Utility Commission won upgrades from two rating agencies for its debt issued for the Plum Point coal-fired power plant ahead of a planned $200 million refunding.