Southwest

Healthy gains in income tax and sales tax collections pushed Oklahoma's state tax collection in July above July 2011 revenues despite a 42% plummet in natural gas and crude oil production taxes. It was the eighth straight month of declining energy severance tax revenues, but the state's overall economic indicators are positive, said State Treasurer Ken Miller on Thursday. Revenues totaled $854.9 million in the first month of fiscal 2013.

With the threat of a lawsuit rising and a Monday deadline looming, the Dallas suburb of Irving, Tex., on Thursday sought a way to resolve a bond financing dilemma for a $252 million entertainment center. The triple-A-rated city expected two years ago to be able to issue up to $170 million of debt to finance the project. Since then, the city council majority in favor of the project, including the mayor, has been turned out of office. The city recently received confirmation that revenue bonds issued for the project would be rated below investment grade.

The size of Dallas' November general obligation bond referendum will be $42 million more than expected due to increases in the city's property tax base.

With its ability to issue debt limited by discovery of a phony audit used in an earlier bond official statement, the New Mexico Finance Authority is proceeding with an investigation to clear up the debacle.

The Corpus Christ City Council gave tentative approval Tuesday to a $90.4 million general obligation bond package that will go to voters Nov. 6. The total includes $55 million of street projects.

Three months after winning overwhelming passage of a $596 million bond issue, San Antonio is issuing the first debt from that authorization as part of a $200 million negotiated deal this week.

Property values in Dallas County, Texas posted the first increase since 2008 last week as the Dallas County Central Appraisal District certified total values of $157.7 billion, up 1.4% or $2.2 billion from 2011.

Voters in Tyler Independent School District, Texas, could go to the polls in November to decide on a general obligation bond package.

Oklahoma House Speaker Kris Steele, R-Shawnee, last week formed the House Tax Credit and Economic Incentive Oversight Committee to investigate the effectiveness of the state's economic tax credits and incentives.

An opinion poll conducted in mid-July found 49.5% of likely Arkansas voters oppose a plan to raise the sales tax to finance construction of a network of four-lane state highways.