Jim Watts

Kansas lawmakers will consider a bill for $1.5 billion of state pension bonds to bolster the sagging finances of the state employee pension plan.

Louisiana State Bond Commission wants more options before deciding on $100 million of bonds to bolster reserves for state-owned Louisiana Citizens Property Insurance Corp.

Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon sees no need for the state's insurer of last resort to sell $100 million of assessment bonds.

Louisiana Bond Commission to pick underwriters and bond counsel for $173 million refunding of highway revenue bonds.

Kansas's 10-year, bond-financed highway program will slow to a crawl if lawmakers allow a sales tax to expire and divert transportation funds to other purposes, said Transportation Secretary Mike King.

Texas will exhaust the $17.5 million balance from $25 million of state bonds meant for long-term repairs to its Battleship Texas exhibit simply to keep the 100-year-old vessel from sinking into the mud.

February's 10% drop in state revenue is due to volatile income tax collections and not a cause for concern.

Tulsa voters may face two separate elections on a proposed $800 million capital improvement program.

New Mexico lawmakers adopted a 2014 spending plan next week, but Gov. Susana Martinez said she might veto the budget bill.

State senators seek more financial oversight of Kansas Turnpike Authority by merging it into Kansas Department of Transportation.

Phoenix voters approve changes in the city's pension program that could save the city $600 million over 25 years.

Gov. Bobby Jindal proposed a $3.6 billion plan to raise the Louisiana sales tax to pay for elimination of the state income tax.

Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin's request to cut the top state income tax rate to 5% was approved Tuesday by the state House .

Louisiana will issue $84 million of highway revenue bonds in the first of three planned negotiated sales, two months after canceling a single $249.2 million sale.

Sales tax collections in February beat the take in February 2012 but at a reduced rate, Comptroller Susan Combs said.

Amarillo ISD will spend $13,000 on a communications plan to explain the school district's $99.5 million bond referendum going to voters May 11.

Oklahoma revenues last month fell below collections in February 2012, marking the fifth time in the past 12 months that collections did not attain the previous year's totals.

A delay in federal income tax returns in early January reduced state income tax refunds in February, revenue officials said last week.

Phoenix voters will decide March 12 on proposed changes to the city's pension fund that could save more than $600 million over 25 years.

Tulsa Mayor Dewey Bartlett wants to extend a sales tax to finance police and fire recruiting and training efforts.