Southwest

Arkansas reported August revenues of $421.4 million, a figure that exceeds collections the same month last year by 5.5% and outpaces projections by 6.7%, according to the state Department of Finance and Administration.

Kansas revenues ran about $30 million or 6.8% below projections for August, according to state budget director Shawn Sullivan.

A water supply district created to serve the parched oil hub of Midland, Texas, has taken a two-notch downgrade from Standard & Poor's to AA-minus due to weaker financial performance, according to analyst James Breeding.

Surplus toll road revenues will fund preliminary engineering studies on a potential rapid rail segment in north central Texas.

Texas voters will consider more than $8.7 billion of local bond proposals Nov. 3 while weighing another $2.5 billion for transportation funding statewide, according to final tally of ballot items.

Already outpacing all other issuers in the Southwest this year, the Texas Transportation Commission is going to market with $1 billion of triple-A-rated bonds.

The oil and gas industry is pressing Congress to permit exports of crude as prices remain at the lowest since the 2008 global financial crisis. The campaign comes as Houston and other energy dependent credits face growing pain from the falling prices, according to Fitch Ratings.

Phoenix voters have approved a $31.7 billion transportation plan funded by an increase in a dedicated sales tax.

Fast-growing Montomery County north of Houston will vote again on $280 million of road bonds that were defeated in 2014, county commissioners decided.

Michael Bartolotta, formerly of First Southwest, has left that firm to join Citi in Houston.