Jim Watts

An economic analysis of the new state teaching hospital in New Orleans has recommended that the bond issue for the facility be increased by $150 million.

DALLAS — Oklahoma Gov. Brad Henry and Republican leaders in the Legislature reached an agreement late last week on a proposed $6.7 billion general fund budget for fiscal 2011 that relies on more than $1 billion of one-time money to cover a revenue shortfall estimated at $1.2 billion.

The $98.6 million of bonds approved this month by voters in the Harlingen Consolidated Independent School District will be sold only if it receives state debt-service assistance.

Trustees in the Eanes Independent School District near Austin will meet tonight to discuss the size of a general obligation bond package that could go before voters in November.

DALLAS — The Louisiana State Bond Commission gave its approval yesterday to refunding and restructuring $300 million of fuel-tax bonds issued in May 2009 to finance a portion of a constitutionally mandated transportation program.

The Louisiana Senate Finance Committee gave their approval Monday to a package of bills that would make it easier for the state to use money in the rainy-day fund and other resources in response to declining revenues that are expected to continue to fall for another two years.

The state sales tax brought in $1.68 billion in April, according to the latest monthly revenue report from Texas Comptroller Susan Combs. The total revenue has grown 1.4% from April 2009, she said.

Tax revenues in April were lower than expected, but Oklahoma Treasurer Scott Meacham last week said he is optimistic that the worst revenue plunge in decades is abating.

Kansas lawmakers have authorized the issuance of another $36 million in bonds for the final work on a complete renovation of the state capitol, which began in 2001.

Saline County’s public works committee has endorsed a $55 million project to build a new fairgrounds and entertainment complex in the Little Rock suburb of Benton.

Scottsdale city officials have whittled down a list of 36 bond-financed capital improvement projects costing an estimated $405.3 million to a proposed request for $36.6 million of general obligation bonds for seven projects.

A federal judge in New York Tuesday dismissed a lawsuit filed by the Louisiana Stadium and Exposition District that contended it was sold a worthless bond insurance policy by Financial Guaranty Insurance Co.

DALLAS — Kansas lawmakers approved a $13.6 billion balanced budget for fiscal 2011 on Tuesday, and sent a bill authorizing a 10-year, $8.2 billion transportation program to Gov. Mark Parkinson.

Louisiana casinos paid $598.8 million in state and local taxes in 2009 on revenues of $2.5 billion, according to the American Gaming Association. The casinos also paid out $602.5 million in wages and benefits.

House Speaker Jim Tucker, R-Terrytown, said Monday that Louisiana must exercise better control of state employee retirement systems that threaten funding for important services and programs.

DALLAS — A combination of falling tax revenue, increased demand for state services, and the lack of federal stimulus funds could result in Texas lawmakers having up to $18 billion less to appropriate for the next two-year budget cycle.

DALLAS — Texas voters approved more than $1.4 billion in local school bond proposals on Saturday, while rejecting bond requests totaling more than $634 million.

The Dallas Central Appraisal District said last week that Dallas County’s preliminary tax roll values will drop to $166 billion, a decline of 4.7% from $174 billion in 2009.

A committee of the Texas State Board of Education is considering a proposal to invest $100 million of the $22.1 billion Permanent School Fund in new buildings for charter schools.

Kansas state senators voted last week to send to the House a measure raising the sales tax rate to 6.3% from 5.3% on July 1. The tax increase would generate $314 million in fiscal 2011 to help cover a $350 million revenue shortfall in a $13.6 billion budget adopted earlier by the Senate.