Arizona

A task force developing a list of projects to be included in Scottsdale, Ariz.'s general obligation 2013 bond request will meet this week to review suggestions proposed by citizens through the city's web site.

Arizona State University halted talks about joining the city of Mesa and the Chicago Cubs on a new baseball facility being built with $84 million of general obligation bonds.

With the healthcare industry facing dramatic changes, Scottsdale Healthcare Corp. is getting a ratings lift after the sale of eight buildings under a new finance strategy.

Proponents of an elevated hiking trail in Scottsdale, Ariz. said they would seek $25 million for the first phase of the project in a proposed $250 million bond referendum in November 2013.

Mesa, Ariz. will finance extensive upgrades to its parks system if voters approve $70 million of general obligation bonds in November.

The Arizona Department of Transportation said it will complete a route study for a commuter rail line linking Phoenix and Tucson.

Banner Health, one of the largest nonprofit hospital operators in the nation, is issuing $252 million of taxable and tax-exempt revenue bonds to expand two Phoenix-area hospitals.

West Coast nonprofit hospital chain Dignity Health, formerly Catholic Healthcare West, was downgraded ahead of plans to sell up to $500 million in taxable bonds.

Glendale, Ariz. is trying to lower the subsidy it would pay next year to Greg Jamison, the would-be owner of a pro hockey team at city owned Jobing.com arena.

A $129 million capital improvement effort to build a new law school campus in downtown Phoenix for Arizona State University has been approved.

The Arizona Supreme Court upheld an appeals court ruling that allows voters in Glendale the opportunity to repeal the city's recent sales tax increase.

Faced with a $14.8 million deficit to operate its six golf courses, Phoenix is considering selling or closing the public links, citing the sport's declining popularity amid growing competition.

Glendale, Ariz., officials are developing a five-year plan to deal with the end of a 0.7% sales tax set to expire in 2017.

Amid protests and falling incarceration rates, Arizona plans to name the winning bid for a private prison Friday. The state will pay a 9.5% premium to go the for-profit route, according to one study.

The $747.8 million of state general fund collections in July was more than $16 million above what was expected in the first month of fiscal 2013 when the state budget was adopted in May and $18 million more than in July 2011.

A new 330-acre district designed to raise revenue for a $300 million renovation of Arizona State University's Sun Devil Stadium is facing some resistance as the college town and Phoenix suburb of Tempe recovers from recession.

The Arizona Supreme Court said last week that a referendum on making permanent a temporary 1% state sales tax should go onto the November ballot.

Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery filed a brief last week in support of an effort to force a November referendum on Glendale, Ariz.’s 0.7% sales tax increase.

Tribal casinos in Arizona made a $25.1 million payment to the state in the second quarter of 2012, the Department of Gaming said last week.

Supporters of a plan to overturn Glendale's new 0.7% sales tax have appealed a court ruling that would keep the referendum off the November ballot.