Bond ratings

As the federal government shutdown draws close to a month in length, the District of Columbia is coping fairly well.

Lawmakers plan to restructure the state's retirement plans in this year’s session, after last year’s bill was struck down.

The Legislative Analyst's Office says the shift of the takeover role from the state to the county may weaken oversight.

Moody's upgraded Paulding County. Ohio, to Aa3.

A bill would extend the sunset date of the law allowing local governments to issue pension obligation bonds and OPEB bonds past Dec. 31.

Moody’s said the plant closure would have “a pronounced negative effect on Trumbull County’s economy.”

Once a high-profile story of fiscal mismanagement, D.C. is now providing an example other large cities are exploring for themselves.

Treasurer Denise Nappier said a lottery revenue infusion and asset transfers could pump $3 billion into the Teachers' Retirement Fund.

The goal of a rating agency is to facilitate commerce and to protect investors, according to Kroll Bond Rating Agency’s CEO James Nadler. He and managing director William Cox also discuss the effort to foster a healthy dialogue with investors. John Hallacy is host.

City-county council of Marion County and Indianapolis approved Mayor Joe Hogsett's second straight structurally balanced budget on Oct. 15.

While S&P, Moody's and Fitch still provide ratings on about 92% of municipal bonds, market participants say they don’t rely on the rating agencies as they once did. Part 2 of The Bond Buyer’s series on the decade after the financial crisis.

Moody's Investors Service said Palmetto Health's integration with Greenville Health may result in a rating upgrade for Palmetto and a downgrade for Greenville.

Fitch Ratings said it won't lower its ratings because of JEA's litigation attempting to shed a power purchase agreement with Georgia's MEAG.

Only two Michigan school districts remain under state oversight.

Opponents say passage of Amendment 5 in November would threaten Florida’s ability to fund state priorities and its triple-A ratings.

The amount of outstanding variable rate demand bonds rose to $142.4 billion in the second quarter of this year, a gain over $142.2 billion in the first quarter and the end of a decade-long decline, Moody’s Investor Service said in a recent report.

The competitive GO deal will feature five- or eight-year calls.

Fitch Ratings upgraded the city's issuer default rating to AA-minus from A-plus.

The Ohio Market Access Program is designed to lower local governments' costs when issuing short-term notes.

The outlook revision reflects the district’s “progress towards structural balance," Fitch Ratings said.