Southwest

Texas is preparing to pour $1.85 billion into the bond market with issues from three state agencies in June.

Faced with rising rents around its Midtown Campus, the Houston Community College District is considering building a dormitory that more students could afford, officials said.

Texas sales tax revenues rise 8.5% in May to a record $2.45 billion, marking 50 straight months of growth, according to state comptroller Susan Combs.

The University of Arkansas System plans to issue $41 million of revenue bonds for its Fayetteville and Fort Smith campuses.

Kroll Bond Rating Agency provided its first rating for a Texas issuer and for an airport June 9, rating Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport AA-minus.

Houston would surpass the $2 billion mark in issuance for the year if it can issue the full $530 million of revenue and refunding bonds it has authorized for its water and sewer system.

Arkansas is on track to fully fund its fiscal year 2014 budget that ends this month, despite a 5.6% drop in May revenues, officials said.

Moody's Investors Service downgraded Topeka's Shawnee County Unified School District 501 as the district prepared to issue the first $118 million of bonds approved by voters April 8.

Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper has vetoed a bill that imposed limits on public-private partnerships for transportation projects in the state.

Austin Community College District is considering asking voters for $385 million of general obligation bond money for its growing chain of campuses.