Southwest

DALLAS - Texas lawmakers on Tuesday approved the financial bill necessary to balance the state's two-year, $172.3 billion budget, but not before almost forcing a second special session.

DALLAS — The Oklahoma Supreme Court declined Monday to hear arguments in a lawsuit contending that the use of $101.7 million of highway tax revenues to balance the state’s fiscal 2012 budget was unconstitutional.

DALLAS — Facing 22 more years of debt service on its Jobing.com Arena, Glendale, Ariz., is seeking a new strategy to keep the Phoenix Coyotes playing in the $180 million venue after a deal to sell the hockey team fell through.

The Crystal City, Tex., Public Facilities Corp. has received an adverse tax determination notice from the Internal Revenue Service for $14 million of bonds issued in 2003 for a prison.

DALLAS — With a $1 billion renovation of George Bush Intercontinental Airport in the works, the Houston Airport System will seek interest-rate savings in a $424 million refunding deal expected to price in mid-July.

The New Mexico Supreme Court ruled last week that Gov. Susana Martinez went beyond her constitutional powers by using her line-item veto authority to reduce appropriations for a housing program to $50,000 from the legislatively approved $150,000.

Wichita's Mid-Continent Airport will see $200 million of new facilities under a facilities proposal approved last week after a nine-month hiatus.

An end to truckers' support for an ­increase in Arkansas' diesel tax to support $1.1 billion of road bonds could mean a tax increase for trucking companies.

Several tax rates in Arkansas will drop Friday due to new laws that go into effect on July 1, the beginning of fiscal 2012. The tax bills were included in the 602 measures passed by the General Assembly in 2011.

A lawsuit filed Wednesday in Austin claims that Texas Comptroller Susan Combs illegally promised a $25 million state subsidy for a Formula One race event next year.