Southwest

DALLAS — Higher-than-expected general fund collections in September pushed Oklahoma revenues 4% past the official estimate for the first quarter of fiscal 2011 and 6.8% higher than the first three months of fiscal 2010.

DALLAS — In the last quarter of this year, Arizona cities will face lasting decisions on how much they value sports franchises in a struggling economy.

DALLAS — Opponents of a Dallas suburb’s plan to issue $200 million of revenue bonds for an entertainment complex have appealed a judge’s order to post a $10 million bond to continue the case.

Sales tax collections totaled $1.57 billion in the month of September, Texas Comptroller Susan Combs said last week, which represents an increase of almost 7% from September 2009.

DALLAS — A nonprofit corporation responsible for heating and cooling 13 million square feet of space at the Texas ­Medical Center in Houston will issue $52 million of revenue bonds to keep pace with the growing campus.

DALLAS — The City and County of Denver is aiming to take advantage of low interest rates and its top credit rating with the competitive sale of $45 million of general obligation bonds and a $40 million refunding of certificates of participation.

DALLAS — Three ballot initiatives that would drastically curtail the ability of Colorado state agencies and local governments to issue debt are winning little support from voters, according to the first public polling on the issue.

DALLAS — Standard & Poor’s and Fitch Ratings downgraded the Utah Transit Authority’s debt as it prepares to issue $200 million of Build America Bonds.

DALLAS — Southern Methodist University will begin a multi-year capital project to build new on-campus residential facilities with proceeds from this week’s sale of $125 million of general obligation revenue bonds.

DALLAS — Kansas revenue collections posted a slight but unexpected increase in September, as all three monthly collections for the first quarter of fiscal 2011 have met or exceeded predictions.