Southwest

DALLAS — Despite Republican leaders’ efforts to downplay the record budget shortfall facing Texas, the state’s funding gap is one of the worst in the nation, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.

DALLAS — Colorado’s Regional Transportation District is putting off a decision on whether to ask voters for a sales tax increase to complete the $6.7 billion FasTracks rail plan by 2017.

DALLAS — The Houston suburb of Sugar Land will build a 7,500-seat minor league baseball stadium with proceeds from next week’s $30.1 million competitive issue of sales-tax revenue bonds.

DALLAS — Texas Gov. Rick Perry met Monday with Republican lawmakers and urged them to avoid tapping the state’s $9 billion budget stabilization fund to help close a $27 billion revenue gap over the next two fiscal years.

DALLAS — With time working against it, Glendale, Ariz., is seeking a solution to the sale of the Phoenix Coyotes hockey team that might involve a bond issue smaller than the $100 million originally planned.

DALLAS — Texas transportation planning has shifted to the slow lane as state legislators seek record spending cuts and prepare to rewrite the law governing the Texas Transportation Commission.

DALLAS — Texas will not be able to resolve a $4.3 billion revenue shortfall by the end of fiscal 2011 through budget cuts, state Comptroller Susan Combs warned legislators Thursday.

DALLAS — Voters in the Dallas suburb of Frisco will have an opportunity in May to reconsider a September 2002 vote authorizing $19 million of general obligation bonds for a regional arts center.

DALLAS — Colorado’s Regional Transportation District should shelve plans to for a tax-hike referendum this year or risk rejection of additional funds to complete the FasTracks rail projects by 2017, according to an advisory group.

DALLAS — Voters in San Antonio’s North East Independent School District will decide on almost $400 million of general obligation bonds as trustees opted to put the larger of two proposed debt requests on the May ballot.