Jim Watts

The Katy Independent School District this week will sell the first $200 million tranche from a $460 million bond package approved by 51.7% of voters earlier this month.

Two voters have approved $292.5 million of bonds by the Four Seasons Ranch Municipal Utility District in Denton County.

Tulsa will issue $59 million of general obligation bonds in January to finance its continuing effort to repair and maintain streets.

The Arizona agency that provides public financing to candidates for state offices will transfer almost $20 million in surplus funds to the state general fund.

A proposed bond-financed entertainment complex in Irving, Tex,, won't generate sufficient revenue to support the debt on the facility, according to a new financial study by opponents of the project.

Trustees of the San Antonio Independent School District voted last week to establish a team of district officials and external managers to oversee projects financed by $515 million of general obligation bonds approved by voters on Nov. 3.

The Oklahoma State Pension Commission has approved a six-part plan proposed by state Treasurer Scott Meacham to address the state’s underfunded public employee pension funds.

Glenn Deck, executive director of the Kansas Public Employees Retirement System, told trustees last week that the teachers retirement system will not be adequately funded for many years, even if lawmakers approve measures they rejected earlier this year.

The Kansas Board of Regents has adopted new financial rules that will make it easier to refinance outstanding bonds issued for capital improvements at the six state colleges and universities.

The Arkansas Higher Education Coordinating Board has approved bond proposals from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith.

DALLAS — Recommendations on how to finance improvements to Arkansas highways and local roads include $1.8 billion of revenue bonds supported by a dedicated 0.5% state sales tax.

DALLAS — Louisiana has delayed a scheduled sale of $96.1 million of refunding bonds due to the recent rise in interest rates.

DALLAS — New Orleans had hoped to get up to $1 billion from leasing Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport to a private operator. But the recent decision by the city to terminate the privatization effort leaves it reconsidering an earlier proposal that included a possible transfer of the facility to Louisiana.

Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour called for an average 8% reduction in state spending in his $5.46 billion general fund budget for fiscal 2012, which was submitted to the Legislature on Monday.

Louisiana will have to send more money to local school districts this year because enrollment exceeded expectation, resulting in a potential revenue shortfall of $42 million in fiscal 2011.

Texas Rep. Mike Villarreal, D-San Antonio, has proposed legislation that would allow three state schools in San Antonio to issue $223 million of debt supported by tuition revenues to finance new facilities.

October’s Texas sales tax collections totaled $1.62 billion, the seventh month in a row that revenues have exceeded previous-year totals.

October tax revenues beat the estimate and exceeded collections in October 2009, Oklahoma Treasurer Scott Meacham said last week, the second consecutive month that both benchmarks were bested.

New Mexico Governor-elect Susana Martinez and outgoing Gov. Bill Richardson disagreed last week on the likelihood of a potential revenue shortfall of $450 million in fiscal 2011.

Kansas tax collections were up nearly $447 million in October, almost $10.5 million more than expected and 12% above last October’s total.