News and Information from Bond Buyer

Fitch Ratings downgraded New Jersey's general obligation rating to A from A-plus on Friday afternoon.

IIlinois' pension funds failed in three of the previous 10 years to earn sufficient returns to make the arbitrage play on work in the state's favor on its $10 billion general obligation pension bond issue from 2003.

The municipal market's performance was moved by the economic data released this week.

Poway Unified School District, the California school district that sparked state legislation limiting school district capital appreciation bond issuance, is contemplating a bond buyback and refinancing to retire some of its more expensive CAB maturities.

The Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority appointed Lisa Donahue as its chief restructuring officer citing her successful experiences turning around distressed large companies.

With "significant" labor market slack remaining, policymakers must be "patient" in removing monetary policy stimulus Federal Reserve Bank of Boston President & Chief Executive Officer Eric S. Rosengren said Friday.

The consortium fronted by Sweden's Skanska that is building the $2.3 billion Interstate 4 project in central Florida says it has reached financial close on the concession and loans.

Newly issued Treasury securities held in stripped form decreased about $1.313 billion in August to a total of $212.661 billion, the Bureau of the Public Debt reported Friday.

Stockton, Calif.'s wastewater system revenue bonds have been upgraded ahead of an $79 million refunding bond sale.

New federal banking regulations will further constrain already struggling infrastructure finance, transportation advocates warned.

Wisconsin's revenue collections fell about 2% or $281 million short of previous estimates, state officials reported late last month.

Miami-Dade County will ask voters to approve $393 million in general obligation bonds to replace the county's 90-year-old civil courthouse.

Standard & Poor's lowered by two levels its rating on LaSalle, Illinois’ general obligation rating to reflect it revised rating criteria and its negative fund balance.

A Missouri state audit found the Grandview School District in Missouri misused some proceeds from some of its $22 million worth of borrowing in recent years.

Recent rulings from Washington State's Supreme Court to allow reforms of pension benefits are a credit positive for the state and local governments, according to Moody's Investors Service.

Municipal bonds' reaction to the payroll number released on Friday has put more interest on the economic data scheduled for release next week, traders said.

The National Association of Bond Lawyers has announced that it will present three of its members with awards when the group meets in Chicago next month.

Harrisburg, Pa., recovering from the brink of bankruptcy, made its latest general obligation bond payment two weeks early.

Standard & Poor's Ratings Services said it lowered its long-term rating to BB-plus from BBB-minus on Utah County, Utah's series 2007A charter school revenue bonds issued on behalf of Ronald Wilson Reagan Academy (RWRA).