Economy

The U.S. House of Representatives voted last week on a rule change that could affect the state’s plan to issue $1.1 billion of grant anticipation vehicle revenue bonds. The provision could allow lawmakers to divert transportation funds to other spending projects.

Collier County commissioners decided Tuesday to withdraw a petition seeking the validation of up to $130 million of revenue bonds to lure a genetics research institute to the southwest Florida area, according to the Naples News.

CHICAGO — Using a structure that bypasses airline approval, Chicago will enter the market early next month with a long-planned sale of $1.1 billion of debt for O’Hare International Airport.

DALLAS — Arkansas House Speaker Robert Moore opened the 86th General Assembly by asking lawmakers Monday to adequately fund a proposed road plan that could involve more than $2 billion of bonds.

A city-county council committee is set to hear public testimony Wednesday on Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard’s plan to issue $98 million of bonds for a mixed-use development, which includes a new corporate campus for Eli Lilly and Co.

New Jersey now has until Jan. 18 to repay $271 million to the Federal Transit Administration for a canceled commuter-rail tunnel. The previous deadline was Monday.

The new speaker of the Arkansas House said last week that lawmakers should find some way to fund needed improvements to the state’s highway system without taking the issue to voters.

CHICAGO — The U.S. Federal Trade Commission last week filed a pair of complaints against Promedica Health System Inc., a leading health care system in northwest Ohio, charging that its acquisition of a rival hospital is anticompetitive and would allow the Toledo-based system to unfairly raise prices for services.

WASHINGTON — The District of Columbia’s chief financial officer warned the city’s new leaders against writing a fiscal 2012 budget that draws on the general fund balance to pay for operations, saying that balancing the budget in this manner for the fifth straight year could threaten the district’s credit rating and reputation with bond ­investors.

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority is considering leveraging future parking revenues through a proposed nonprofit entity to generate up to $325 million and help pay down outstanding debt.

ALAMEDA, Calif. — Southern California’s LA/Ontario International Airport could soon be under new management.

BRADENTON, Fla. — A $500 million cost-cutting proposal for the $4.1 billion Louisville-Southern Indiana Ohio River Bridges Project could result in a review of federal approvals for the mega-project, a Kentucky transportation spokesman said.

TRENTON , N.J. — New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie announced a plan Thursday to borrow $4.4 billion of bonds during the next five years to help finance road, bridge and mass-transit projects throughout the state.

WASHINGTON — House members voted 240 to 191 Wednesday to adopt Republican-approved rules for the 112th Congress that transportation and business groups claim will hurt funding for programs and possibly curb the ability of states to finance projects with bonds.

DALLAS — Travis County, Texas, commissioners said Tuesday they want to reduce a proposed road and parks bond package from $550 million to $200 million before asking voters to approve it.

Atlanta is calling on area volunteers to help maintain the city’s $2.8 billion BeltLine redevelopment project, which is to be partly funded through the issuance of bonds.

CHICAGO — The new owners of the Detroit Medical Center kicked off the first phase of an $850 million capital program Tuesday afternoon, four days after closing the long-anticipated acquisition.

A $1 billion, largely bond-financed expansion of the Ohio State University Medical Center got a boost last week with the announcement of a $100 million federal grant. The project is Ohio’s largest labor initiative and is projected to create up to 10,000 new jobs and 5,000 construction jobs.

The Wayne County Airport Authority, which runs the Detroit Metropolitan Airport, said it achieved $51.7 million in net present-value savings in a recent refunding.

The Illinois Department of Transportation late last month signed an agreement with Amtrak and the Union Pacific Railroad that paves the way for using $1.1 billion in federal funds for necessary improvements to high-speed passenger rail service between Chicago and St. Louis.