Southwest

Fort Worth Independent School District issued the first $123 million from a $490 million bond authorization approved by voters last November.

Arkansas Gov. Mike Beebe proposes increased spending for education and prisons under a $5 billion budget.

Gov. Jan Brewer called on the Arizona Legislature to create a fund to help keep military bases in the state off of a potential closure list.

The Internal Revenue Service has closed an audit of $21.13 million of tax-exempt contract revenue refunding bonds issued by the Canyon Regional Water Authority in Texas in 2006 with no change to the bonds' tax-exempt status. However, it advised the authority that it had not completely filled out an IRS form.

The Phoenix area will see its light rail system grow with this week's $115 million of sales tax-backed bonds.

Seeking to avoid debt wherever possible, state lawmakers are searching high and low for money to repair their aging capitols in the wake of recession.

The New Mexico Supreme Court's ruling in favor of the state's new pension reform law is a positive credit factor for the state, according to Moody's Investors Service.

Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper called for more public-private partnerships for water and transportation in his state-of-the-state address Jan. 9.

The school district serving Topeka, Kan., will ask voters to approve $143 million in an election this spring.