Jim Watts

DALLAS — Oklahoma's rainy-day fund likely will exceed its pre-recession level of almost $600 million by the end of fiscal 2012 on June 30, up from a low point of only $2.03 in January 2011.

DALLAS — Louisiana will continue its 2013 refunding campaign next week with a planned $580.7 million negotiated deal as the state seeks to lower debt service costs in fiscal 2013 and beyond.

The Louisiana Department of Highways and Economic Development will produce a report by the end of 2012 on whether tolls can help finance construction of the final 136 miles of Interstate Highway 49 from Lafayette to New Orleans.

DALLAS — The Tulsa County, Okla., Independent School District No. 3 will finance the second phase of its capital improvement plan with proceeds from $67.3 million of lease revenue bonds issued by the Tulsa County Industrial Authority.

Sales tax collections in May totaled $2.1 billion, Texas Comptroller Susan Combs said last week, up 7.3% from May 2011 revenues.

Oklahoma revenues were up in May despite a cooling off of the state’s oil and gas severance tax collections, Treasurer Ken Miller said last week. Collections were up 6% from last year, he said, down from the average growth of 9.2% over the last 12 months.

Kansas tax collections in May exceeded revenues in May 2011, but fell below the official monthly revenue forecast.

Reno County Unified School District 313 won approval last week for a $45 million bond proposal, breaking a string of three straight defeats.

Arizona proponents of a plan to make permanent a temporary 1% state sales tax said they already have more than enough signatures to put the measure on the Nov. 6 ballot.

Trustees of Maricopa Unified School District No. 4 last week opted to send a $230 million general obligation bond request to voters Nov. 6, turning down a proposal for a larger bond package.

DALLAS — The New Orleans City Council gave preliminary approval Thursday to two debt refunding proposals that could total $370 million if the market cooperates.

DALLAS — Dallas voters will decide in November on a $600 million general obligation bond package focused on basic infrastructure projects under a proposal outlined Wednesday to the City Council.

The Louisiana House on Monday approved $3.4 billion of aid to local education in fiscal 2013 by a narrow, disputed vote in the final hours of the 2012 session.

DALLAS – Texas state agencies were directed Tuesday to develop budgets for the next two fiscal years that freeze general fund spending at current levels.

DALLAS — Arkansas could have a $100 million surplus at the end of fiscal 2012 if revenues continue at their current above-expectations pace, state finance director Richard Weiss said Monday.

Trustees of Southwest Independent School District in Bexar County, Texas, voted last week to put a $165 million general obligation bond proposal on the Nov. 6 ballot.

The San Antonio City Council this month will consider creating a public facilities corporation that would issue up to $544 million of bonds for an expansion of the downtown convention center.

Austin voters won’t see a proposal to authorize $275 million of general obligation bonds for a light-rail system on the November ballot, Mayor Lee Leffingwell said last week.

Kansas’ population will continue to decline over the next 30 years in a process that began more than 100 years ago, according to a new study from Wichita State University.

Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback last week signed a measure extending the state’s STAR sales tax revenue bond program through June 2017.