Southwest

DALLAS — After years of planning, Colorado’s Regional Transportation District is preparing to issue $404 million of tax-exempt private-activity bonds Wednesday to finance a 23-mile commuter line linking Denver International Airport to a new downtown transit hub at Union Station.

DALLAS — The Port Authority of Houston is issuing $300 million of general obligation debt this week to take out commercial paper for the port’s expansion and refund bonds sold in 2008.

DALLAS — Phoenix is preparing to issue $710 million of revenue bonds next week to ­finance a five-mile automated transit system linking Sky Harbor International Airport’s terminal to the city’s new light-rail line as well as parking and rental car facilities.

DALLAS — Fitch Ratings and Moody’s Investors Service expect to assign their lowest investment-grade rating to $404 million of tax-exempt private-activity bonds for a commuter rail line connecting downtown Denver to Denver International Airport.

DALLAS — A proposal to invest up to $100 million of Texas Permanent School Fund money in charter schools is still alive, even though the Texas Education Agency sidelined the idea in a meeting Thursday.

DALLAS — Redevelopment of Denver’s Union Station gains momentum this week with the closing on a $146 million loan from the federal government.

DALLAS — In the wake of a Moody’s Investors Service downgrade, the Arizona School Facilities Board is preparing to sell $62 million of refunding certificates of participation to help overcome the state’s record budget shortfall.

DALLAS — Harris County, Tex., is considering two options for refunding $205 million of toll-road put bonds on Thursday.

The Cinco Municipal Utility District No. 1, located near Houston, has disclosed that the Internal Revenue Service is auditing $5.2 million of revenue bonds it issued in 2002 to finance water and sewer infrastructure.

DALLAS — Moody’s Investors Service yesterday downgraded Arizona’s issuer credit rating to Aa3 from Aa2 as the state faces continuing financial stress and diminished borrowing capacity.