Southwest

DALLAS — Arizona Gov. Jan ­Brewer is considering an $8.3 billion budget that she negotiated with the Republican-controlled Legislature despite misgivings about some of the $1.1 billion in spending cuts.

DALLAS — In the largest deal of the year from Texas, the North Texas Tollway Authority will issue more than $1 billion of debt this week, carrying its highest credit rating in three years.

DALLAS — The Texas House balanced the current biennial budget on Thursday with $3.1 billion from the $9.4 billion rainy-day fund and $853.6 million of spending cuts for state agencies and higher education.

DALLAS — Texas would need $315 billion in additional revenue to keep up with growing demand for roads and maintenance of existing infrastructure through 2030, but sources of revenue are drying up rapidly, according to the latest reports.

DALLAS — Proponents of expanded gambling in Texas told lawmakers Tuesday that casino gambling and slot machines at existing horse tracks could generate more than $1 billion a year in state taxes.

DALLAS — A political fundraising scandal, including efforts to influence construction of the bond-financed University of Phoenix National Football League stadium, could cost Arizona’s Fiesta Bowl its nonprofit status and its ranking as one of the top four collegiate Bowl Championship Series games, according to an investigative report.

DALLAS — Arkansas’ $4.6 billion fiscal 2012 budget unveiled by the Joint Budget Committee on Monday increases appropriations for public education and penitentiaries, but keeps other state spending at or below fiscal 2011 levels.

DALLAS — Voters in Texas face a light load of school bond requests at the polls on May 14 as districts across the state focus on belt-tightening instead of capital projects.

DALLAS — In an unusually lean market for tax-exempt debt, the San Antonio Independent School District will provide about $100 million of refunding bonds in a deal that ranks as one of the largest from Texas this year.

Travis County may establish a tax increment financing district to build roads and other public infrastructure serving the 3.4-mile Formula One Grand Prix racetrack being built outside Austin.