Jim Watts

DALLAS — Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback and top legislative leaders vowed last week to reform structural problems they said almost ensured expenditures would continue to exceed available revenues.

DALLAS — Dallas is facing a revenue gap in fiscal 2012 of at least $41 million, city manager Mary Suhm said Wednesday at the City Council’s first briefing on next year’s budget.

Louisiana’s Revenue Estimating Conference deferred action last week on a proposal by Gov. Bobby Jindal to increase the state’s official revenue estimate for fiscal 2012. The panel will meet in April or May to reconsider the revision.

DALLAS — Trustees of the Socorro Independent School District may ask voters in May to approve a $297 million general obligation bond program to build new facilities for the fast-growing system in El Paso County, Texas.

Texas state and local sales taxes generated $1.81 billion in December, up from December 2009 collections of $1.65 billion.

Gov. Rick Perry said last week he is opposed to drawing on Texas’ $8.2 billion rainy-day fund to ease a two-year state budget gap estimated to be at least $15 billion and as much as $27 billion.

Trustees of Oklahoma County Independent School District No. 52 are looking at ways to win approval of a general obligation bond package narrowly rejected by voters in December.

New Mexico’s $5.39 billion fiscal 2012 general fund budget, proposed last week by the Legislative Finance Committee, is $187 million more than the current budget but 10% less than fiscal 2009’s $6 billion spending plan.

Trustees of the Arkansas Public Employees Retirement System last week asked lawmakers to lengthen to 30 years from 28 years the work span needed to qualify for full retirement benefits.

DALLAS — Kansas Gov. Sam ­Brownback delivered a proposed fiscal 2012 budget to lawmakers Thursday that would trim spending by $876.4 million.

DALLAS — Oklahoma general fund revenues came in higher than expected in December, with sales tax collections ­leading the way.

East Baton Rouge Parish officials are expected to set an election for October or November on a bond proposal that could include a new parish prison and other capital projects.

DALLAS — Arkansas House Speaker Robert Moore opened the 86th General Assembly by asking lawmakers Monday to adequately fund a proposed road plan that could involve more than $2 billion of bonds.

Texas state Sen. Kirk Watson, D-Austin, last week said he would propose a Senate rule prohibiting a vote on the conference committee’s budget report until a week after it has been is filed.

Grand Prairie’s credit rating has been raised to AAA from AA-plus by Standard & Poor’s in recognition of its strong municipal financial policy and central location in the North Texas region.

Kansas delayed a payment of aid to local school districts for four days last week due to cash-flow problems caused by December state revenue that came in $22 million below expectations.

The new speaker of the Arkansas House said last week that lawmakers should find some way to fund needed improvements to the state’s highway system without taking the issue to voters.

The Arkansas state government’s December’s general revenue of $439.5 million was $10.2 million more than in December 2009 but $20.3 million less than expected.

Phoenix is negotiating with the Milwaukee Brewers in an effort to extend the ballclub’s spring-training stay at city-owned Maryvale Baseball Park.

DALLAS — Travis County, Texas, commissioners said Tuesday they want to reduce a proposed road and parks bond package from $550 million to $200 million before asking voters to approve it.