Richard Williamson

Two of Texas' most congested cities — Houston and Austin — are moving forward with managed toll lane projects after identifying sources of funding from the Texas Department of Transportation.

Standard & Poor's has raised its rating on the Willacy County, Texas, Public Facility Corp. one notch to BBB-plus and provided a stable outlook, despite volatility in the private prison industry and defaults in other Texas counties.

The Colorado State University System is going to the bond market for the second time this year with an $87.7 million refunding that includes taxable and tax-exempt debt.

DALLAS - Financial accounting problems brought Surprise, Ariz., its second downgrade in a week, as Fitch Ratings lowered the Phoenix suburb's implied unlimited tax general obligation rating to A-plus from AA-minus.

DALLAS — Arizona State University will use $230 million of revenue bond proceeds for a variety of projects at its Tempe and satellite campuses.

DALLAS — Arizona's Salt River Project Agricultural and Power District forecasts a 20% increase in debt to $5.3 billion by the end of fiscal 2016, even after reducing its capital program.

DALLAS — Standard & Poor's has lowered its rating on the Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority's revenue bonds one notch to AA-plus with a stable outlook.

DALLAS — A $758 million commuter rail line expected to connect Fort Worth to Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport has received initial qualification for federal funds to cover early costs, officials said.

DALLAS — The Arizona Board of Regents on Tuesday priced $123 million of bonds for the University of Arizona in one of the largest deals of the year from the state.

DALLAS — The Austin Community College District plans to price $44.4 million of lease-revenue bonds to build its first campus in suburban Hays County after a Texas Supreme Court victory cleared a path to the market.

DALLAS — Assured Guaranty Municipal Corp. may have to cover debt service payments of $1.2 million for a northern Colorado municipal district that defaulted on $25 million of bonds last December, the district indicated.

DALLAS — Private developers have pledged $80 million to help finance a $250 million entertainment center adjoining the Irving convention center in Texas, but city officials doubt that the pledge is firm enough to earn a credit rating.

DALLAS — Chicago-based Mesirow Financial is opening a Houston public finance office that will be headed by former Citigroup Global Markets executive Anderson Bynam, according to the company.

DALLAS — In an effort to acquire cleaner energy sources, San Antonio is using $521 million of taxable revenue bonds to buy an 800-megawatt natural gas power plant for city-owned CPS Energy.

DALLAS — Moody's Investors Service has declared the acquisition of the Bexar Metropolitan Water District by the larger San Antonio Water System a credit positive event for both utilities.

DALLAS - Former New Mexico investment officer Gary Bland is seeking $1.25 million from the State Investment Council in a lawsuit that claims he was damaged by claims of corruption.

DALLAS — As Texas' fastest-growing county, Williamson County, north of Austin, has seen its debt rise rapidly to keep up with demand for roads, parks and services.

DALLAS — Two Arizona cities will have to find revenue to cover Major League Baseball's spring training facilities improvements because Arizona Sports and Tourism Authority subsidies will fall $165 million short of expectations, officials say.

DALLAS — As springtime rains replenish depleted reservoirs, the Texas Water Development Board is going back to the well for $137 million of general obligation bonds to finance loans to local utilities.

DALLAS — The Texas Department of Transportation plans on leveraging up to $2 billion more than expected over the next two years after reassessing federal revenues and construction costs, officials said.