Southwest

DALLAS — The plan to balance Oklahoma's $6.5 billion budget with a diversion of highway tax revenues has been challenged as unconstitutional by an Oklahoma City attorney.

DALLAS — With Arizona's economy still struggling to recover from a deep recession, the Legislature meets Friday in special session to consider Gov. Jan Brewer’s call for extending jobless benefits to 14,697 workers who have been unemployed for at least 79 weeks.

DALLAS — After campaigning on an issue over which he has little control — education ­— newly elected Denver Mayor Michael Hancock will oversee major projects already under way in transportation and economic development as the city continues its recovery from the Great Recession.

DALLAS — Little Rock voters will be asked in September to approve an increase in the sales tax to generate $511 million over eight years under a plan outlined to city’s Board of Directors on Tuesday by Mayor Mark Stodola.

DALLAS — A bill that would authorize $9 billion of highway construction in North Texas through public-private partnerships is expected to get Gov. Rick Perry’s signature by the June 19 deadline.

DALLAS — Texas lawmakers are expected to complete the special legislative session’s budget work on Thursday when the House will consider school finance bills passed by the Senate late last week.

DALLAS — In a deal tailored for risk-averse investors, Utah is planning to offer $635 million of its top-rated, tax-exempt general obligation bonds with maximum maturities of 15 years.

Sen. Judith Zaffirini, D-Laredo, has filed a bill allowing Texas state colleges and universities to issue a total of $100 million of tuition revenue bonds. She said she wants to be ready to move if Gov. Rick Perry expands the bills that could be considered in the current special legislative session.

One of the last acts by the Oklahoma Legislature before it adjourned last week was the creation of a 10-member panel that will study state tax exemptions and exclusions and determine those that are no longer useful.

Revenue collections in the first 11 months of fiscal 2011 total $5.1 billion, an increase of almost $200 million from the same period last year, the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration said last week.