Southwest

Moody's Investors Service lowered the Lower Colorado River Authority's rating to A2 from A1 as the water and electricity wholesaler prepared to refund $123 million of revenue bonds.

Tax revenue in the top oil producing states has fallen sharply, dropping by 40% in Texas, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

On the final day of the legislative session, Utah lawmakers passed a bill that raises the state fuel tax for the first time since 1997.

Despite court-sanctioned reforms, Colorado's future pension costs and unfunded liabilities continue to grow, according to a commentary from Moody's Investors Service.

A Texas legislative subcommittee chaired by Rep. Trent Ashby gets $2.8 billion of tuition revenue bonds for colleges and universities moving in the 2015 session. It has been nine years since the last TRBs were authorized.

Texas sales tax revenue continued to climb in February, rising 11.7% over February 2014 to $2.46 billion, according to Comptroller Glenn Hegar.

The cost of issuing bonds in 2014 was half the amount of five years ago and appears to be the lowest on record, according to the Texas Bond Review Board.

A Texas bill that would lower the threshold for property tax rollback elections could limit the flexibility of local governments in fast-growing areas of the state, according to Fitch Ratings.

Two Texas senators have added to the anti-toll legislation in the 2015 legislative session, filing bills to limit the use of public-private partnerships to non-toll projects and other legislation.

Moody's Investors Service has raised its outlook to stable from negative on the University of Arizona as it prepares a $228 million debt issue at the end of the month.