Richard Williamson

Teaming with state and local investigators, the Federal Bureau of Investigation is launching a sweeping investigation of public corruption in the Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas.

Topeka, Kan., will await a ruling from the Kansas Court of Appeals on a citizens petition before issuing $5 million of sales tax and revenue bonds to buy a financially trouble race track. The petition drive seeks a vote on whether to buy the track.

A privately operated immigration detention center in La Salle, County, Texas, will receive no revenues while closed for repairs, according to a disclosure notice to bondholders.

Despite tumbling oil prices, Texas sales tax revenue soared 10.7% to $2.66 billion, according to state Comptroller Susan Combs, who will leave office in January.

Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback will cut spending by 4% to offset a $279 million revenue shortfall in the current fiscal year. Brownback will also ask the Legislature to authorize internal fund transfers of more than $200 million.

A proposed $2 billion rail transport system to northeastern Utah's Uinta Basin oil producing region is shelved as the estimated cost more than doubled to $5 billion, state officials said.

Texas Department of Transportation executive director Joe Weber said he expects the upcoming session of the Texas Legislature to de-emphasize toll roads after a series of protests and a general feeling of "toll fatigue."

Gov.-elect Greg Abbott said he wants to invest an additional $4 billion in road and transportation projects in Texas without raising taxes or tolls. Abbott will succeed Texas' longest-serving governor, Rick Perry, in January as the 2015 Legislature convenes.

Tarleton State University, part of the Texas A&M University System, plans to build a new Fort Worth campus on 80 acres of land donated by the Walton Group of Companies.

Bexar County plans to refund $332.7 million of bonds backed by venue and car rental taxes. The previously issued debt financed improvements to AT&T Center sports arena and San Antonio's tourism projects.

San Antonio is planning to issue more than $600 million of bonds this month and next for its water and electric utilities, with most of the proceeds going toward refunding.

Agencies in Arizona, California and Nevada are expected to agree on reduced consumption of water from Lake Mead as a 14-year drought continues to lower the reservoir toward a level that requires federal restrictions.

In its only bond deal this year, Dallas expects to raise about $530 million for new money and refunding, including debt authorized for the Trinity River Corridor Project in 1998.

After a record year of bond issuance, the Texas Department of Transportation has reduced its borrowing costs by $425 million through refunding at historically low interest rates, officials said.

Austin's $275 million of revenue bonds scheduled for pricing Dec. 9 will allow the city's growing airport to accommodate more international flights as it improves parking for aircraft and cars.

Arkansas revenues were 11.8% higher than the same month last year and 6.8% above forecast, according to John Shelnutt, state director of economic analysis and tax research.

A $20.8 million green bond issue will allow Utah Associated Municipal Power Systems to recycle waste heat from gas pipeline compressors as a power source for its utility partners.

Uintah County School District earns a Moody's Investors Service upgrade to Aa3 from A1 despite signs of volatility in northeastern Utah's energy-based economy.

Phoenix plans to raise $155.2 million for new water projects and lower the interest cost on outstanding debt with a combined $610 million issue.

The Colorado Aeronautical Board will provide only $3 million in airport grants in 2015, a fifth of the amount originally planned, officials said.