Bonds

As the market lurches from the effects of possible rate cuts to a less than stellar employment report, some industry leaders are dubious about negative forecasts for the near future. “Many economists on the street are now penciling in a 50-basis point fund rate cut in September and November, with 25 point cuts thereafter,” said

The California Supreme Court has extended to Sept. 6 its decision to deny or grant review in a case challenging San Jose’s pension obligation bond validation. The high court has at least 60 days to make a decision after a request for review is filed, and that deadline was drawing near in the San Jose

The Louisiana Public Facilities Authority expects to price $1.33 billion in Baa3-rated toll bonds next week, in a public-private partnership to replace the Calcasieu River Bridge, but with the bonds backed by toll revenues, there remains some concerns about drivers using alternate routes to avoid the charge. JPMorgan and Wells Fargo will manage the deal.

The League of California cities will host a webinar to help potential applicants tap $3.3 billion in funding being fast-tracked by the governor from a bond measure approved by voters in March. The funding being released in August is the first tranche from the $6.4 billion Proposition 1 bond measure. No bonds have been issued

Connecticut sold a routine $214 million general obligation deal last week, with Wells Fargo placing the winning bid. Although the deal was unremarkable, Assistant Treasurer for Debt Management Bettina Bronisz made sure the occasion didn’t go unnoticed.  “She invited all the interns and other members of our executive staff to participate and learn about it

California’s fiscal 2025 budget dealt with the revenue gap that emerged in fiscal 2024, but further actions will be needed to achieve fiscal balance in out years, according to a Fitch Ratings commentary. “While further adjustments may be necessary to align spending with the lower revenue trajectory, Fitch believes this budget allows California to retain

California Gov. Gavin Newsom issued an executive order instructing state agencies to adopt policies to clear homeless camps on state properties and asked local governments to use the “substantial funding” provided by the state to take similar action. The executive order issued Thursday comes a month after the U.S. Supreme Court’s sweeping Grants Pass decision

A coalition organized by New York City Comptroller Brad Lander has filed three lawsuits to allow the launch of congestion pricing.  Lander and his allies hope the lawsuits will force the defendants — New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, state Department of Transportation Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez, and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority — to begin the

An Oklahoma court ruling against a state anti-ESG law could help undermine similar laws in Louisiana, Florida, and elsewhere, attorneys said. Oklahoma County District Court District Judge Sheila Stinson late last week issued a permanent injunction against the enforcement of a 2022 state law that led to investment banks being banned from underwriting municipal bonds

The Louisiana State Bond Commission approved three bond issues totaling more than $3 billion on Wednesday. The commission approved a $1.33 billion to $2 billion bond to be backed by tolls on the I-10 Calcasieu River Bridge, a state general obligation bond of up to $1 billion, and gave preliminary approval to a state gas

The Texas Water Development Board approved an up to $1.8 billion State Water Implementation Revenue Fund for Texas (SWIRFT) bond issue on Tuesday, along with nearly $3 billion in requests to use the fund to finance local water projects, including seawater desalination in Corpus Christie and a reservoir and pump station expansion in Brazoria County

Costly plans to tackle climate and water supply challenges in the Southwest may be stalling amid concerns over funding.  Austin, Texas, officials tapped the brakes last week on seeking voter approval for general obligation bonds that would help finance a comprehensive climate implementation program, pushing a potential ballot measure for the debt beyond this November’s

Tejon Ranch, the largest stretch of private land in California, is tapping the municipal bond market for $61.6 million to expand the commercial center roughly 83 miles north of downtown Los Angeles. Encompassing roughly 270,000 acres, or about 420 square miles, the mixed-use property owned by the publicly traded Tejon Ranch Co. has long been

Erlanger Health of Chattanooga, Tennessee, was upgraded by Moody’s Ratings to Baa1 from Baa2 and by Fitch Ratings to A-minus from BBB-plus. Both ratings agencies have positive outlooks on their rating. The Chattanooga Health, Educational and Housing Facility Board will issue $322 million of bonds on behalf of Erlanger, in a negotiated deal the week

Texas general fund revenue so far in fiscal 2024 remains on target with the state’s October estimate forgoing the need for a July revision in the forecast, while a projection for the yearend balance could fluctuate, state Comptroller Glenn Hegar reported Wednesday. An $18.3 balance projected in October for the end of the triple-A-rated state’s

An Oklahoma court has canceled an election next month on a proposition to create two tax increment financing districts in Norman to help finance a University of Oklahoma sports arena as part of a $1 billion proposed entertainment development. Cleveland County District Court Judge Jeff Virgin issued a temporary restraining order last week enjoining the

Pennsylvania became the final state in the country to pass its 2024-2025 budget last week, as the commonwealth’s divided legislature wrapped up its $47.6 billion spending plan two weeks past its July 1 deadline, with several new initiatives.  The budget spends big on economic development and education, but provides only one-time funding for transit. And

U.S. states are expected to cut their budgets, marking a return to more modest levels of spending after years of stimulus-fueled growth and tax cuts.  Total general-fund spending is expected to fall to $1.2 trillion in fiscal 2025, according to an analysis by the The Pew Charitable Trusts. That’s a roughly 6% decline from estimates of

Hurricane Beryl’s battering of parts of Texas is not deterring next week’s bond pricing for Galveston Wharves. The port said the $160 million revenue bond sale will proceed on Tuesday despite an operational interruption caused by the once-Category 5 storm that ravaged the Caribbean and made landfall Monday 100 miles south of Galveston in Matagorda

Hamilton County, Tennessee, has taken steps to approve two bonds totaling $630 million. County commissioners gave preliminary approval to $260 million of general obligation bonds the county will issue for Hamilton County Schools and final approval to a $370 million bond for Erlanger Health System. The proposed school bond is to be advertised so residents