Southwest

The State Board of Equalization last week certified a state general fund revenue estimate of $5.2 billion in fiscal 2012, which would give lawmakers $4.9 billion to appropriate next year.

The Kansas Board of Regents will seek a $50 million increase in state aid to higher education in fiscal 2012 to restore some of the money lost to budget cuts over the past two years.

Two churches in Mission have filed suit in Johnson County District Court in Olathe seeking to overturn Mission's new transportation utility fee.

Little Rock Wastewater will be insolvent by mid-2012 unless the Sanitary Sewer Commission raises rates or cuts spending, according to a new financial plan presented to the commission last week.

DALLAS — The Dallas suburb of ­Irving could issue up to $250 million of bonds for a new entertainment center within two months if a judge’s ruling stands, Mayor Herbert Gears said.

Colorado property values fell 5.3% in 2010 and are expected to fall another 6.9% in 2011, according to the December economic forecast from the nonpartisan Legislative Council.

With the year-end deadline approaching, Houston this week will refund $94 million of private-activity bonds for its airport system with variable-rate debt to gain exemption from federal alternative-minimum tax provisions.

Voters in Oklahoma County Independent School District No. 12 last week approved three bond proposals totaling $29.9 million.

A $191 million general obligation bond package proposed by Oklahoma County Independent School District No. 52 failed last week despite a majority of voters endorsing the bond package.

New Mexico Gov.-elect Susana Martinez has asked state agencies, boards, and commissions to give her proposals that would cut spending in the state's fiscal 2012 budget by 10% of 2011 expenditures.