Southwest

Oklahoma Rep. T.W. Shannon, R-Lawton, said last week the state should sell some of its buildings and land to finance repairs to the state capitol in Oklahoma City.

Three bond refinancing efforts since August have cut Wichita’s debt service by almost $16.2 million, city manager Robert Layton said last week.

The Arkansas State Police Retirement System will likely ask the General Assembly for more funding in 2013 due to a rise in the system’s unfunded liabilities to $135 million in 2011 from $122 million in 2010.

El Mirage’s $8.5 million bond request was approved by a three-vote margin on Nov. 8 after early returns showed the measure failing by 19 votes.

The Maricopa County supervisors voted last week to again ask the Arizona Legislature to halt its practice of levying a mandated contribution on counties to help balance the state budget.

DALLAS - Plans to hold a Formula 1 race near Austin are in doubt after Texas Comptroller Susan Combs announced plans to withhold $25 million in taxpayer subsidies for construction of the track.

DALLAS - The North Texas Tollway Authority achieved total savings of $10.1 million in a $268.6 million refunding deal that sold out in less than three hours, officials said.

DALLAS - The decision of San Antonio-area voters to dissolve the 66-year-old Bexar Metropolitan Water District is not expected to lower ratings of the utility's $216 million of outstanding revenue bonds, according to Standard & Poor's.

DALLAS - The Spring Branch Independent School District in Texas will continue its 10-year capital improvement program with proceeds from Tuesday's competitive sale of $75 million of general obligation bonds.

DALLAS - With high ratings and low water supplies, drought-stricken Austin expects a strong response from the muni market Tuesday when it prices $235.4 million of bonds to finance a new water treatment plant.