Jim Watts

Houston school trustees will consider the district's first tax increase since voters approved a $1.9 million bond program in 2012.

Fitch Ratings moved New Orleans's GO debt outlook to negative from stable due to pension problems and mandated public safety spending.

Most Oklahoma public schools offer scant protection from tornadoes, according to poll by a state representative seeking $500 million of state bonds for storm shelters.

Oklahoma's state lease revenue bond program for higher education projects will proceed after validation by Oklahoma Supreme Court.

El Paso won't be liable for an additional $10 million needed to complete a bond-funded downtown minor league ballpark now under construction.

Pima County, Ariz., bond panel votes unanimously to put off a proposed $650 million bond election until 2015.

El Paso city leaders are meeting with sponsors of bond-financed downtown baseball stadium after costs went up another $10 million.

Houston Independent School District's 2007 and 2012 bond projects are on schedule and within budget, officials said.

Louisiana State Bond Commission approved $200 million of bonds for local governments and state college projects.

Oklahoma officials are reviewing wording of initiative petitions seeking statewide vote on $500 million of bonds to build school storm shelters.

Bonds issued by Texas charter schools would receive state enhancement under proposed new IRS guidelines.

Louisiana can issue $800 million of state GO bonds over the next two years without busting a constitutional cap on debt service.

Almost $7 billion in debt requests from the state, cities, and school districts will be on Texas ballots in November.

Louisiana Bond Commission will decide on $37 million of sales tax bonds for a retail development in Livingston Parish.

Political action committee supporting bond referendum to renovate Houston's Astrodome set to raise $250,000 for campaign.

The University of Texas will issue $255 million of bonds to fund new engineering building on its Austin campus.

Abnormal state income tax refunds drop Oklahoma general fund collections 17% below official expectations.

A new web site detailing debt by Texas and its local governments is an advance for financial transparency, state comptroller Susan Combs says.

Texas collected $25.8 billion in state sales taxes in fiscal 2013, up 7.2% from fiscal 2012, with $2.4 billion generated in August.

Louisiana’s looming tax amnesty will generate the $200 million needed to balance the fiscal 2014 budget, revenue secretary says.