Fitch Rates Texas Tech University System Rev and Rfdg Bonds 12th Series 'AA'.
HEALTH AND BEAUTY CLOSE-UP-13 October 2008-Fitch Rates Texas Tech University System Rev and Rfdg Bonds 12th Series 'AA'(C)2008 - CloseUpMedia - newsdesk@closeupmedia.com Fitch rates approximately $183.3 million Board of Regents of Texas Tech University System (the system) revenue financing system (RFS) refunding and improvement bonds twelfth series...

Commentary: recycling is not garbage: a response to Alexander Cockburn.
Alexander Cockburn is a long-time firebrand in The Nation magazine, and before that the Village Voice. Lately he's bent so far left he's joined the right. In recent months, his column and online writing have attracted a great deal of controversy based on his assertions that the science of...

District politics: tired of losing the vote on bond issues and tax levies? Find out how some administrators are hiring consultants to create winning strategies.
Superintendent Ann Moore didn't think she was doing anything wrong. Her Huntsville (Ala.) City School District needed $9.6 million more per year to maintain a variety of enrichment programs, including one for gifted students. She opted to appeal directly to the taxpayers, the ultimate arbitrators. Prior to...

Court blocks Fontana Redevelopment bond issue: panel also declines to validate settlement agreement with state.
Concluding that Fontana has dodged its affordable housing obligations since 1987, the Fourth District Court of Appeal has blocked the Fontana Redevelopment Agency from issuing $40 million in tax allocation bonds because the agency has exceeded its debt limit. The court also declined to "validate" a settlement between Fontana...

75th anniversary Roundtable: inside the Indicators; Appraisers critique a long-time Appraisal Institute data source.
Long before there was a World Wide Web, a mainstay data source that tracked the economy for appraisers was the Appraisal Indicators, which first appeared in 1959 in The Appraiser newsletter. Today this feature, re-named "Economic & Market Indicators," appears in every issue of Valuation (pages 38-39) and is...

Berlin Hits US Pressure.
The US on Jan. 11 was criticised for pressing German companies to cut business ties with Iran after Commerzbank decided to end dollar transactions with Tehran. Germany's second-largest bank confirmed it would cease to conduct dollar-denominated business with Iran at the end of this month. The bank, which co-managed...

HGC bares P12-billion bond issue.
The Home Guaranty Corporation (HGC) recently kicked off its P12-billion zero-coupon bond issue in line with its bid to further expand the government's socialized and low-cost housing programs and encourage a secondary market for the housing sector. The bond issues unveiling, which was highlighted by a briefing...

How to get your bond passed: here's some expert advice to consider when a ballot initiative is on your district's horizon.
Few mornings are as nerve-wracking at district headquarters than an election day when a bond measure is on the ballot. By the time the sun goes down, you learn whether or not your schools will have the resources to tackle some of the district's most pressing needs. Millions-in some...

GCC debt markets poised for take-off: for the Middle Eastern economies domestic bond markets have traditionally played a fairly minor role in financial intermediation. However, as in other emerging market regions, the pace of innovation in financial products is now gaining momentum in the Arab World.
Top-tier companies in the Middle East's financial services, telecoms, real estate and transport sectors are increasingly turning to rights issues on regional stock markets, debt securities and sophisticated Islamic financial instruments for their medium and long-term funding programmes, although conventional bank lending remains the dominant source of finance. ...

Lessons from the 2004 state and local elections: election results show both positive and negative trends for parks and recreation nationwide.
The outcome of the November elections was generally positive for parks and recreation across the United States, with a few notable exceptions as a state and local analysis of the results indicates. National trends for local park and recreation ballot measures have shown continuing support for this core public...