Southwest

A U.S. Supreme Court ruling on Texas' right to draw water from Oklahoma could have a major impact on interstate water compacts across the nation, experts said.

Johnson County Unified School District 233 will build a new high school in Olathe if voters approve a $244.8 million bond referendum in a mail-in election.

Quick legislative action on $202 million of state revenue bonds for a biodefense laboratory may avoid higher costs later, Gov. Sam Brownback said last week.

Arkansas will use federal Medicaid funds to purchase health insurance for an additional 250,000 low-income residents under a new pilot program.

Mesa will exhaust the $170 million of GO bonds approved by voters in 2008 with a $60 million sale.

Kansas may issue another $202 million of state bonds to finance a national biological defense laboratory at Kansas State University.

Austin is considering a plan to lease its airport to finance a light rail system, a move that would allow the city to bypass bonds for an inaugural 5.5-mile transit line.

Moody's Investors Service issued a report on Wednesday that examined the local governments and school districts that rely on federal employment, procurement, Medicare reimbursement and education grants that would be most affected by sequestration.

Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin and legislative leaders agreed to lower the top state income tax rate to 5% from the current 5.25% in 2015 while using cash instead of bonds to renovate the state capitol.

The Internal Revenue Service has closed an audit without changing the tax exempt status of $52 million of sales tax revenue bonds the Cleveland County, Okla., Justice Authority issued in 2009.