Jim Watts

A Travis County civil court judge has denied a request for a restraining order seeking a halt to voting on $892 million of general obligation bonds sought by Austin ISD.

A supplemental budget for fiscal 2014 submitted last week by Gov. Sam Brownback includes a request for $202 million of state bonds for a bio-defense laboratory.

Arkansas tax collections hit the highest total monthly total ever in April, with $817.4 million of general fund revenue coming in.

Arkansas's gross general fund revenue is expected to total $6.1 billion in fiscal 2013 and $6.23 billion in fiscal 2014 under the new official forecast.

Phoenix's temporary food tax will drop to 1% from the current 2% in January under a budget plan ordered last week by the City Council.

Louisiana Treasurer John Kennedy is critical of a plan to use savings from an $823 million refunding of tobacco settlement bonds to bolster the fiscal 2014 state budget.

Oklahoma's top income rate will go to 5% on Jan. 1, 2015, from the current 5.25% with final passage of a tax bill.

Louisiana will extend its dwindling capital outlay escrow account for another few months with Tuesday's competitive sale of $300 million of state general obligation bonds.

Lawmakers rejected a $500 million cut in the fiscal 2014 budget measure intended to smooth the plan's passage in the full House.

Oklahoma lawmakers have approved a infrastructure renewal plan that fund the renovation of state facilities through sales of surplus property.

Johnson County Unified School District 233 will build a new high school in Olathe if voters approve a $244.8 million bond referendum in a mail-in election.

Quick legislative action on $202 million of state revenue bonds for a biodefense laboratory may avoid higher costs later, Gov. Sam Brownback said last week.

Arkansas will use federal Medicaid funds to purchase health insurance for an additional 250,000 low-income residents under a new pilot program.

Mesa will exhaust the $170 million of GO bonds approved by voters in 2008 with a $60 million sale.

Kansas may issue another $202 million of state bonds to finance a national biological defense laboratory at Kansas State University.

Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin and legislative leaders agreed to lower the top state income tax rate to 5% from the current 5.25% in 2015 while using cash instead of bonds to renovate the state capitol.

New Orleans Aviation Board will build a smaller but more efficient passenger terminal with proceeds from $475 million of airport revenue bonds.

El Paso could alter its annual contributions to a city pension fund under bills filed with the Texas Legislature

Retaining a sales tax rate set to drop July 1 could help offset additional state aid to local school districts if Kansas loses a school finance lawsuit.

State revenues are expected to fall 12% in fiscal 2014 as a result of tax cuts enacted by the 2012 Legislature.