Texas

Dallas will bring one of its largest refunding deals to market with $579 million of water and sewer bonds that carry ratings near the top of the scale.

A Texas lawmaker is seeking to ban the use of capital appreciation bonds in the state and require more disclosure about outstanding debt on bond ballots.

With nine bills in the Legislature seeking to curtail the development of turnpikes in Texas, opponents see a chance to alleviate "toll fatigue."

The Texas Transportation Commission authorized contracts for $2 billion of road and bridge projects, including $1.74 billion approved by voters Nov. 4.

The Texas State University System combined new money and refunding in a $314.8 million issue that drew attractive yields for the issuer.

Ten local governments in the Permian Basin and Eagle Ford Shale petroleum producing regions of Texas are particularly susceptible to a slump in oil prices, and Moody's Investors Service is reviewing them for downgrades.

A plan to divert up to $2.5 billion of vehicle sales tax revenue to highway projects gained momentum as a lobbying organization called Move Texas Forward joined forces with legislative leaders.

Standard & Poor's has assigned a positive outlook to Good Shepherd Medical Center’s BB-minus credit after the East Texas healthcare system restructured $88 million of debt and raised cash through asset sales.

Taxes and royalties from the oil and gas industry in Texas are expected to fall in 2015 after hitting a record $15.7 billion in 2014.

In a review of key public finance sectors affected by falling oil prices, Moody's Investors Service analysts see an upside for transportation and those supported by consumer spending.

Standard & Poor's placed Willacy County Local Government Corp. on its watch list for a possible downgrade of its BBB credit after rioting inmates damaged a privately operated prison financed with $78 million of bonds.

A lawmaker from one of Texas' most heavily tolled counties has introduced legislation that would end tolls when bonds are paid off.

Buoyed by a strong fourth-quarter finish, 2014 municipal bond issuance in the Southwest region was 15% higher than 2013 at $64.7 billion, according to Thomson Reuters data.

A privately operated federal detention center in Raymondville, Texas, financed by $78 million of bonds suffered severe damage as inmates began rioting Feb. 20 and will be vacated, officials said.

Sponsors of a privately funded $10 billion high-speed rail project between Houston and Dallas opt for route with fewest landowner issues.

Buoyed by a strong fourth-quarter finish, 2014 municipal bond issuance in the Southwest region was 15% higher than 2013 at $64.7 billion, according to Thomson Reuters data.

Two Austin lawmakers are pushing bills that would allow increases in auto registration fees to finance road construction in Travis County.

A $35.4 million issue of revenue bonds for a private detention center in Central Texas will retain tax-exempt status following a review by the Internal Revenue Service, according to a disclosure notice.

Declaring that "our economic engine continues to gain steam," Texas Gov. Greg Abbott called for a new structure to lower the state's debt while increasing spending on transportation by $4 billion per year and cutting taxes.

The growing Dallas suburb of Frisco would vote on $268 million of bonds under a proposal that has been sent to the city council for approval.