Southwest

Houston ISD Superintendent Terry Grier said Thursday that the 42 schools to be replaced or renovated in the $1.89 billion GO bond referendum will "change an entire city." Trustees must vote by early August to put the bond proposal on the Nov. 6 ballot.

The "hurry-up offense" appears to be working for the Harris County Houston Sports Authority, as Standard & Poor's has improved the outlook on the stadium builder's junk-rated junior-lien debt. The outlook on the B-rated bonds went to stable from negative in S&P's recent report.

Houston ISD would focus most of the proceeds from a proposed $1.8 billion general obligation bond package on replacements and upgrades to high school campuses. District is wrapping up an $805 million bond program authorized by voters in 2007.

Baird, an employee-owned capital markets firm based in Milwaukee, has added five bankers to its public finance team and opened three new offices in Texas.

DALLAS — The Oklahoma Legislature’s failure to pass proposed income tax cuts in the recently completed session will give lawmakers an additional $16 million to appropriate when they convene in 2013.

DALLAS — Moody’s Investors Service will keep the Aaa rating of Texas’ Alamo Community College District on negative outlook because of its exposure to a weakened U.S. credit profile, the agency said.

Gilbert, Ariz., will not be able to issue any general obligation bonds or other authorized debt this year after the City Council voted last week to keep the secondary property-tax rate unchanged in fiscal 2013 for the 11th year in a row.

The Tempe, Ariz., City Council will decide later this month on whether to send a $29.8 million general obligation bond program to voters in November. The council gave its preliminary go-ahead to the plan last week.

A proposed increase in the Arkansas severance tax on natural gas will not reduce energy activity in the state, proponents said last week.

The Little Rock, Ark., Board of Directors last week approved a series of four rate increases for the Little Rock Wastewater Utility through 2016 to finance construction of facilities needed to comply with a 2001 lawsuit settlement.