New Mexico

Texas, Oklahoma, and other Southwest states would jump on the bitcoin bandwagon amid a nationwide surge in bills to invest public money in cryptocurrencies.

The rating for Baylor Scott & White Health in Texas was upgraded, while Presbyterian Healthcare Services in New Mexico was downgraded by Moody's.

Governors in the drought-prone region are asking their legislatures for funding to boost future water supply or to repair aging water infrastructure.

While Texas is forecasting a big budget balance, fiscal boom times are ebbing for it and other Southwest states amid tax cuts and depleted federal funding.

Issuers in Southwest states led by Texas are hoping voters will approve billions of dollars of bonds in Tuesday's election.

The privately placed taxable bonds to be issued through Bernalillo County will help finance a manufacturing facility for Ebon Solar.

An outlook revision to positive for the state's Aa2 general obligation rating comes as a methodology update led to downgrades for certain revenue bonds.

The move to reclassify marijuana as a less-dangerous drug comes amid slowing growth of cannabis-related tax revenue in states that legalized it, like Colorado.

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said her public-private sector plan to build a strategic water supply will remain a top priority after a bill for financing failed to advance in the legislature.

The Texas city's project joins other efforts in Southwest states to find new water sources as supplies dwindle due to persistent drought conditions.

As double-digit revenue growth comes to an end, Southwest governors are crafting budgets to deal with the new normal.

The state would raise $500 million through internal debt sales backed by oil and natural gas severance tax revenue to fund long-term water purchase contracts.

The amount of unspent funding for state and local capital projects is at a historically high $5 billion as projects struggle with rising construction costs.

Public schools account for most of the $28.48 billion of bonds on Texas ballots Nov. 7.

States nationwide saw slower general fund revenue growth in fiscal 2023 after gains the previous two fiscal years fueled by high inflation and federal stimulus.

The state is capping transfers of fossil fuel-related revenue to its general fund and will invest money that exceeds the cap through a Severance Tax Permanent Fund.

Energy-producing states are riding out oil and natural gas price swings that affect severance tax collections.

The growth in March tax collections reported by the states was less robust than a year earlier.

The House and Senate differ in their approaches to lowering property taxes by billions of dollars as the state anticipates a record budget surplus.

Each would preserve their individual brands with a new organization functioning as the parent company with the aim of cutting administrative costs.