Jim Watts

DALLAS — A $77 million revenue gap in Louisiana’s current budget was acknowledged Wednesday by a new financial forecast adopted by the Revenue Estimating Conference.

DALLAS — Texas lawmakers will have to come back for a special session to complete the state’s next two-year budget unless the House quickly accepts the Senate’s plan to bring in $2.6 billion of new non-tax revenue, leaders from both chambers said Tuesday.

Unveiling of the latest bond proposal by East Baton Rouge Parish Mayor-President Melvin “Kip” Holden was delayed last week because Public Works personnel were busy preparing for a Mississippi River flood.

DALLAS — A series of financial blows suffered over the past year by the Hallsville Independent School District in East Texas continued Monday as Moody’s Investors Service dropped its unenhanced debt rating to A3 from A1, with a negative outlook.

DALLAS — Texas voters gave their approval Saturday to almost 70% of the 56 school bond proposals they faced in elections across the state, giving 39 districts the go-ahead to issue new debt.

Texas sales tax collections in April totaled $1.87 billion, up 11.4% from April 2010 collections, Comptroller Susan Combs said last week.

The Oklahoma House Appropriations and Budget Committee last week approved a plan to issue an additional $40 million of bonds over three years to support construction of the American Indian Cultural Center and Museum in Oklahoma City.

Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin said last week time is running out on a proposal to provide $40 million of state revenue bonds for construction of an arts and entertainment museum in Tulsa.

The House voted late last week to accept the Senate’s plan to more fully fund the Kansas Public Employees Retirement System.

The Kansas House adopted the state’s fiscal 2012 budget early in the morning of Friday the 13th on the last day of the 2011 session, sending the measure to Gov. Sam Brownback.

DALLAS — The Texas House’s chief budget writer warned his colleagues Thursday that funding for state aid to public education and Medicaid could run out before the end of the next two-year budget cycle.

DALLAS — Kansas legislative negotiators reached agreement late Wednesday on a $14 billion budget for fiscal 2012 that reduces the per-pupil state aid stipend for Kansas’ 289 local school districts.

DALLAS — The Oklahoma Legislature will begin considering a budget bill Thursday after Gov. Mary Fallin and fellow Republican leaders reached agreement on a $6.5 billion spending plan for fiscal 2012.

Tangipahoa Parish School District 116 officials said they are unsure of how to proceed after 87% of voters recently rejected a $187 million bond-backed plan to upgrade and integrate district facilities.

The Lafayette Parish School Board will develop a general obligation bond election proposal for the fall to cut away at $1 billion of needs identified by a facilities committee.

DALLAS — A Louisiana bill proposing $3 billion of revenue bonds for state road projects died in a legislative committee Tuesday when its sponsor voluntarily deferred it due to opposition from lawmakers and Gov. Bobby Jindal. The bill would have raised the state’s private-vehicle registration fee to $30 from $10 to support up to $3 billion of bonds for 42 projects in 27 parishes.

The Seguin Independent School District’s request for $97.5 million of general obligation bonds won the support last week of the Seguin Chamber of Commerce.

Officials in Georgetown said the passage of a $29.5 million general obligation bond proposal on May 14 would allow the city to replace outdated public service facilities and upgrade municipal operations.

The only municipal school district in Texas is asking voters to approve a four-part, $49.9 million bond proposal on May 14 to upgrade and maintain district facilities.

The Oklahoma Historical Society is asking the Legislature to approve $40 million of 20-year bonds to build a music and popular culture museum in Tulsa’s Brady Arts District, along with a parking garage.