Southwest

Voters turned down a tax increase to support $30 million of bonds to expand a community college campus in Hot Springs.

Lawmakers have approved a measure authorizing $125 million of state GO bonds for a large steel mill project in northeast Arkansas.

Tucson, Ariz. has appointed a task force to study how it can reduce its payments into public safety retirement systems.

A year after establishing a major base in Texas, the employee-owned public finance firm Baird is expanding in the state with a new Houston office headed by former Raymond James director Carmen Best.

Texas voters would be asked to approve the use of $6 billion from the state rainy day fund for water and road projects under a measure under consideration in the state Senate.

An Oklahoma Senate plan to delay a reduction of the state income tax rate for a full year will be opposed by Gov. Mary Fallin and the House leadership.

A proposed ban on capital appreciation bonds backed by property taxes is under consideration in the Texas House of Representatives after passage in the Senate.

Baylor Health Care System plans to issue bonds ahead of its merger with Scott & White Healthcare, and Moody's downgraded Baylor Health one notch.

Texas' least-populous county — but certainly not its poorest — is preparing to float $3.4 million of tax-supported notes to provide a local source of water for its 82 residents.

High prices for Oklahoma natural gas are credited for the slight increase in March revenues, Treasurer Ken Miller said last week.