Richard Williamson

Standard & Poor's raised the credit rating on the troubled North Forest Independent School District to AA-plus from its previous junk-bond rating of B after the district's annexation by the Houston Independent School District.

Denver will price one of its largest issues of airport bonds Thursday, offering $736 million of subordinate-lien debt for construction of its South Terminal hotel and commuter rail station.

Glendale, Ariz.'s decision to lease its Jobing.com arena to a proposed new owner of the Phoenix Coyotes National Hockey League team is credit negative, says Moody's Investors Service.

Texas' longest-serving Gov. Rick Perry will not seek a fourth term in 2014, he told supporters in San Antonio Monday. He didn't indicate whether he plans a second run for president.

Triple-A-rated Utah will offer investors a safe bet this week with $217 million of general obligation bonds for the Beehive State's growing highway system.

The Grand Parkway Transportation Corp. is preparing to price $2.86 billion of toll revenue bonds to extend a planned 184-mile loop around the Houston metro area.

Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper has named Peck, Shaffer & Williams attorney Mary L. Groves to the Colorado Municipal Bond Supervision Advisory Board.

Gov. Rick Perry challenged Democrats to another special session fight, placing the divisive issue of abortion in the same call with funding for the state's transportation system.

Plans to mortgage Glendale's city hall for $30 million are on hold as the city negotiates in private with prospective buyers for the Phoenix Coyotes.

The Texas Legislature ran out of time to approve $900 million for transportation as a special session ended with a dramatic debate over abortion.

The Glendale City Council is planning to mortgage City Hall to cover costs of keeping the National Hockey League's Phoenix Coyotes playing at the city-owned Jobing.com arena and to cover a $27 million deficit.

Harris County, Texas will consider a $194 million plan to turn the abandoned Houston Astrodome into a convention center and exhibition space

Publicly funded Denver Health and Hospital Authority is running a $1 million deficit due to its status as the hospital for the uninsured and the sequester of federal funds enacted by Congress, according to a recent report.

With a new water treatment plant nearing completion, Austin, Texas will issue about $575 million of taxable and tax-exempt new money and refunding.

Texas Gov. Rick Perry's veto of funding for the unit that prosecutes state corruption will not derail an investigation of a case that could involve the governor's office, the lead investigator said.

Texas lawmakers are considering overriding Gov. Rick Perry's veto of funding for the Travis County District Attorney's Public Integrity Unit that monitors potential illegal activity among state officials.

The Texas Department of Transportation would get an additional $900 million per year in bonding authority under a constitutional amendment unanimously approved by the Texas Senate in a special session.

Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, the top issuer in the Southwest, is pricing $367 million of revenue bonds Thursday for its $2 billion terminal remodeling program.

New Mexico will price $220 million of highly-rated severance tax bonds for hundreds of local projects in a competitive sale Tuesday.

Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer is expected to sign an $8.8 billion budget that includes expansion of the state Medicaid program for the working poor.