Law and legal issues

New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Maryland claim the state and local tax deduction is essential to prevent federal tax powers from interfering with constitutionally guaranteed state rights.

The Nacogdoches County Hospital District took a nine-notch downgrade as it prepares to file for bankruptcy.

States and localities can’t continue to postpone resolving their pension problems or they will crowd out essential services and infrastructure and lose population, Chapman Strategic Advisors managing director James Spiotto says in a paper to be delivered in Washington on Tuesday.

Dallas will issue $235 million of bonds to settle lawsuits about officers' back pay.

A lawsuit, filed by a former University of Alaska regent, hinges on whether bond plan violates state constitution limits on new debt.

MSU plans to issue roughly $784 million of bonds, $450 million of which will be used to cover settlement costs from the sexual abuse scandal involving Larry Nassar.

The U.S. Supreme Court case heightens the risks for Georgia, because authorities could be forced to borrow to build alternate water systems.

The American Trucking Associations and three co-plaintiffs argue in federal court that the state's truck-only tolls are unconstitutional.

DTE Electric Co. is seeking a $537 million reduction in its taxable value, possibly threatening the county's credit rating.

The state used "subject to appropriation" language to exit a building lease, but state officials say Alaska will honor bonds subject to the same condition.

Malachi Financial Products Inc. and its principal were charged with violating their fiduciary duty to a city in Mississippi, overcharging the city, and failing to disclose payments received from the underwriter.

Michigan State University's credit fundamentals will be the deciding factor when it sells bonds to fund the settlement, say market observers.

The opinion said Florida met its initial burden in proving that a cap on Georgia’s water withdrawals could be considered further.

State-owned Santee Cooper wants the high court to affirm its authority to set rates and pay off bonds that financed its scrubbed nuclear reactor project.

Mayor Eric Papenfuse said he will declare a fiscal crisis for Pennsylvania's capital after state lawmakers would not let the city exit distressed status while keeping its special taxing authority.

The $500 million settlement with 330 sex-abuse victims must still be approved by a judge.

A civil grand jury slammed the Alum Rock school board for running the district poorly, including on bond-related matters.

The Poinciana Community Development Districts argue that "issue preclusion” should bar some objections to the validation of $102 million of bonds.

The Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund's new power to intercept Harvey's pool of state revenues complicates settlement efforts with the city's public safety funds.

States could gain $8 billion to $33.9 billion in additional annual revenue if the high court rules in favor of South Dakota, while a loss would mean the status quo.