Richard Williamson

Facing more budget-balancing challenges in 2011, Colorado will issue $500 million of tax revenue anticipation notes Thursday to smooth cash flows in the coming year.

San Antonio this week plans to price $101 million of airport revenue bonds with an increasingly unusual feature — bond insurance.

DALLAS — Faced with recurring budget gaps, Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer is proposing a series of steps designed to improve the state economy, including budget cuts and financial incentives for business.

DALLAS — Colorado state Sen. Chris Romer, a former public finance consultant and the son of ex-Governor Roy Romer, announced plans Tuesday to run for mayor of Denver.

DALLAS — Transportation officials are considering funding options for a $4.4 billion expansion of Interstate 35E between Dallas and Denton that could be the largest of several major projects in the area.

DALLAS — A new issuer known as the Colorado Bridge Enterprise joins the December rush to market next week with $300 million of taxable and tax-exempt debt.

DALLAS – Dallas and the Tarrant Regional Water District will share financing on a $1.6 billion pipeline that will carry water 149 miles from Lake Palestine in East Texas.

DALLAS — Under pressure to issue bonds before the end of the year for a $250 million entertainment center amid falling revenue, Irving, Tex., now faces an investigation into questionable expenses by the city’s private partner on the project.

DALLAS — The ­Harris County Houston Sports ­Authority moved closer to using insurance to cover bond payments after dipping into debt-service reserves for the first time this month.

DALLAS — Amid a flood of municipal issuance in the last six weeks of the year, the North Texas Tollway Authority will bring around $1.5 billion of debt to market, starting with nearly $500 million of tax-exempt refunding revenue bonds this week.

DALLAS — Bexar County, Tex., has earned an upgrade from Standard & Poor’s to A from A-minus on its venue project revenue bonds as it goes to market with $64 million of debt backed by tourism-related taxes.

DALLAS — Standard & Poor’s last week downgraded the Regional ­Transportation District of Colorado’s lease-revenue debt to A-minus from A-plus as it prepares to issue $310 million of certificates of participation.

DALLAS — Siebert Brandford Shank & Co. has hired the two top managers at Samuel A. Ramirez & Co.’s Houston office as part of expansion plans in the Southwest, according to chairman Napoleon Brandford.

DALLAS — The Texas Public Finance Authority approved plans Tuesday to issue more than $2 billion of revenue bonds to repay an advance from the U.S. Treasury Department for unemployment compensation.

DALLAS — Houston will take advantage of historically low interest rates with a $527 million deal divided between taxable and tax-exempt bonds that for the most part will refinance outstanding commercial paper.

Piper Jaffray & Co. has expanded its Texas operations with managing director Tim Kelley running the firm's new San Antonio office.

Voters in Arizona approved seven out of eight school bond proposals worth a combined $447 million as Mesa approved $84 million for a new Chicago Cubs training facility, along with $202 million for capital needs.

DALLAS — Standard & Poor’s has revised its outlook to negative from stable on Glendale, Ariz.’s general obligation bonds.

DALLAS — Southwest Airlines, which after its launch in 1971 built its entire business plan around Love Field, will issue $310 million of revenue bonds to expand operations at the historic Dallas airport.

DALLAS — The fast-growing Round Rock Independent School District north of Austin is preparing to issue $104 million of debt, including $92 million of Build America Bonds, as Texas school districts face prospects for greater budget austerity.