Richard Williamson

Dallas billionaire Harold Simmons' political action committee illegally funneled $64,500 to 18 Texas lawmakers after passage of a bill allowing Simmons' company to dump radioactive waste at a bond-funded site in West Texas, according to reports.

Two years after massive spending cuts to deal with a slumping economy, Texas lawmakers are considering measures to ease the impact as they prepare to convene for their 2013 session next week.

The inland Port of San Antonio expects to issue $24 million of bonds after bypassing the debt market in 2012, according to Moody's Investors Service.

The Houston Community College District will issue $300 million of general obligation bonds two months after voters approved $425 million of debt to expand the system.

With expansion of an international toll bridge in Eagle Pass, Texas, expected to begin in April, Moody's Investors Service affirmed its Baa1 rating on the system's senior lien revenue bonds.

The YMCA of Greater Houston is no longer under threat of downgrade to junk status from Moody's Investors Service as the nonprofit prepares to restructure its $196 million of outstanding debt.

Standard & Poor's shifted its outlook to stable from negative as the Arizona Transportation Board plans to issue $712 million of revenue bonds after the first of the year.

Bexar County called on Frost Bank of San Antonio to underwrite $128 million of tax-exempt debt in a deal designed to enhance the city's convention and tourism venues while raising the hometown bank's profile in the muni bond industry.

Glendale, Ariz., took a second downgrade on its general obligation bonds Wednesday as the Phoenix suburb refunded $239.9 million of debt issued for professional sports facilities.

The $3 billion bond-funded Cancer Prevention Research Institute of Texas faces a criminal investigation over an $11 million grant to a company backed by a major campaign contributor to Gov. Rick Perry and Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, according to the Travis County District Attorney's public integrity unit.

A $3 billion bond-funded cancer research program that granted funds to a firm backed by donors to Texas Gov. Rick Perry is under investigation by the state attorney general's office, and the executive director of the program has resigned.

Colorado's Regional Transportation District will have about $896 million in unused debt authorization for its FasTracks transit program after this week's issue of $446.3 million, according to estimates.

After a ratings downgrade triggered by its commitment to the National Hockey League's Phoenix Coyotes, Glendale, Ariz., is restructuring its debt for professional sports facilities with $230 million of taxable and tax-exempt revenue bonds.

The New Mexico Finance Authority "over-emphasized and under-prioritized the importance of bond credit ratings," in a "culture of complacency" that led to a fraudulent audit, according to an investigative report from the New Mexico Securities Agency.

The Texas Transportation Commission is pricing its largest general obligation bond issue of the year Tuesday, with $839.3 million of tax-exempt debt selling through negotiation and $100 million of taxable bonds offered competitively.

Utah Charter School Finance Authority will price $17.8 million of revenue bonds for Ogden Preparatory Academy under a new program that allows the state to back the issue with its moral pledge.

An estimated $1.65 billion of industrial revenue bonds to link the nation's three major power grids will bear the name of Clovis, N.M., but the town will carry no risk if the project falters, officials say.

Texas Gov. Rick Perry is fending off allegations that the $3 billion cancer research bond program that won statewide voter approval in 2007 is funding projects for his campaign contributors.

The New Mexico Transportation Commission will detour the wreckage of the New Mexico Finance Authority with $215 million of refunding bonds.

Faced with a sewer system that San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro says is "falling apart," the San Antonio Water System is proposing a rate increase of nearly 10% to help finance maintenance.