Southwest

Arkansas' finance office says the state ended the fiscal year with a nearly $79 million budget surplus despite a slight reduction in net revenues.

Standard & Poor's has shifted its outlook to negative on New Mexico State University's AA rating, citing three years of falling enrollment.

A $1 billion plan to create Austin's first urban rail system and to consider other transportation developments won unanimous endorsement from the city council.

Standard & Poor's has downgraded Good Shepherd Health System to a junk-bond rating of BB-plus as the East Texas healthcare provider tries to stave off an accelerated debt payment schedule.

Kansas ended its fiscal year June 30 with revenues running $338 million below projections, officials said.

New school construction costs in Texas vary by as much as $200 per square foot, according to analysis by the Texas Comptroller's office.

Harmony Public Schools, the largest charter school operator in Texas, will refund $104 million of triple-B bonds to secure the state's triple-A guarantee, a provision that just became available this year.

Dallas Independent School District expects about $15 million in net present value savings from $317.8 million of refunding bonds expected to price July 1.

An Arizona judge has struck down a state car-rental tax that supports $1.2 billion of debt issued for professionals sports stadiums in the state.

Moody's Investors Service has downgraded Beaumont, Texas' water and sewer debt to A1 from Aa3, citing the city's diminishing reserves and aging infrastructure.