Southwest

DALLAS — The Texas House Appropriations Committee on Wednesday adopted a $164.5 billion, two-year operating budget that reduces spending by $22.9 billion from the current biennium.

DALLAS — Retail and institutional investors alike were attracted to the Oklahoma Water Resources Board’s negotiated $142.9 million revenue bond sale on Tuesday and Wednesday.

DALLAS — Plans to add two reactors to the South Texas Project nuclear power plant near Houston became more doubtful this week as San Antonio’s public utility halted all discussions about buying power and the developer announced the project was on hold.

DALLAS — Amid a $500 million remodeling project, Dallas Love Field Airport won a two notch upgrade from Standard & Poor’s Wednesday, rising to A with a stable outlook from BBB-plus.

DALLAS — In what will likely be the largest deal in Texas so far this year, the North Texas Tollway Authority is preparing to issue $1.3 billion for the western extension of its President George Bush Turnpike.

DALLAS — Members of a new Texas Senate special subcommittee were tasked Monday with finding $5 billion of savings and non-tax revenues over the next two weeks.

DALLAS — More than three years after voters approved a bitterly contested split from Utah’s largest school district, the Canyons School District is preparing to issue its first bonds under its new name.

Texas Lieut. Gov. David Dewhurst wants state senators to look everywhere, even under rocks, to find $5 billion in savings and non-tax revenue to help cover a revenue gap of between $15 billion and $23 billion over the next two-year budget cycle.

The Arkanas Senate Committee on State Agencies and Governmental Affairs last week endorsed a bill that would allow cities and counties to issue bonds for development districts, with the debt supported by state sales tax revenue generated within the districts.

The Arkansas Senate last week approved a measure that would give the governor the authority to call a statewide election on up to $500 million of revenue bonds to repay federal loans for unemployment benefits.