Southwest

The Texas cities are preparing to ask for about $2.5 billion of bonds in November.

Gilbert, Ariz., put the kibosh on subsidizing a Cactus League site for the Milwaukee team.

A special election will decide if Ardmore City Schools will be able to make needed upgrades to its schools, buy new buses to replace outdated ones and build a new district performing arts center.

A controversial meeting of the Aledo ISD bond steering committee on Aug. 3 — which was not announced beforehand to the public or media — resulted in the firing of a consultant from the district's architectural firm, according to the district.

Stafford, Texas, voters will be asked on Nov. 7 to approve a $62 million bond proposal that would include building a new middle school and administration building for the Stafford Municipal School District as well as a magnet school.

Some provisions in a judge's ruling that the city of El Paso can construct the $180 million multipurpose facility downtown — as long as it does not build it as a sports arena — are ambiguous and problematic, city attorneys said.

The Sherman Independent School District's board of trustees held a special meeting Monday night at which the group approved a $1.44 per $100 valuation property tax rate for the year and got its first look at the $170-million-plus bond packages developed by the Citizens Advisory Committee.

Houston's $495 million bond package will fund library repairs, park upgrades and new police and fire vehicles.

Port Houston has lost one of its three triple-A ratings due to legal and technical issues, but business prospects remain strong, port officials say.

The $141.2 million Victoria school district bond proposal allocates funds for unnecessary projects such as a walking trail and Wi-Fi at a multi-activity complex, members of a new group said Sunday.