Southwest

DALLAS — Arizona’s current deficit is $2.1 billion, nearly triple the $825 million cited by the Legislature and Gov. Jan Brewer, according to a new study released Wednesday.

DALLAS — Travis County, Texas, commissioners said Tuesday they want to reduce a proposed road and parks bond package from $550 million to $200 million before asking voters to approve it.

DALLAS — Kansas tax collections totaled $489 million in December, leaving all revenues $22 million shy of official expectations for the first six months of fiscal 2011.

DALLAS — Texas higher education institutions could issue up to $3.2 billion in tuition-backed revenue bonds under a bill introduced for the legislative session that begins next week.

DALLAS — Oklahoma lawmakers and the new governor will face a tight revenue picture again this year when the 53rd Legislature convenes Feb. 7.

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service is auditing $130.96 million of consolidated revenue bonds issued in September 2002 by the Board of Regents of the University of Houston System to finance the acquisition, construction, and renovation of facilities.

DALLAS — Travis County, Tex., commissioners are expected to ask voters in November for up to $300 million of general obligation bonds to finance a new courthouse in downtown Austin.

Two years after Hurricane Ike devastated the tourism-oriented island of Galveston, the Texas city of the same name is making a steady comeback, despite the added burden of a deep recession. The city's improving fortunes are reflected in last week's Standard & Poor's upgrade to A with a positive outlook from BBB with a stable outlook on its general obligation debt.

Oklahoma tax revenue collections were up more than 9% in November over last year, Treasurer Scott Meacham said last week, as the state's economy continues to rebound from the deepest recession since World War II.

The Harris County Metropolitan Transit Authority last week reached a settlement with CAF USA Inc., over two disputed contracts for the construction of light-rail cars for its North and Southeast Corridor lines.