Southwest

Comal County commissioners last week set a May election on $36 million of general obligation bonds to build a new justice center in New Braunfels after residents stopped a plan to issue certificates of obligation for the facility.

The decline in sales tax collections that began in February continued in November, Texas Controller Susan Combs said last week, as the $1.7 billion of revenue that came in for the month was down 14.4% from November 2008.

Kansas budget director Duane Goossen said last week that most of the 295 school districts in the state will not receive their full December aid allotment until early January due to lower-than-expected state revenue.

Federal Recovery Zone Economic Development bonds will save Metropolitan State College up to $20 million in interest cost on construction of a new academic building on the Denver campus, school officials said last week.

The Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department has prepared a list of 130 state road projects, costing $1.1 billion, that could get under way quickly if a new federal stimulus law is proposed.

Local school districts are expected to take advantage of a new Arizona law signed by Gov. Jan Brewer in September that will allow districts to ask voters for a 15% property tax override, for up to seven years, on March 9.

WASHINGTON — The Securities and Exchange Commission has barred ex-Wachovia Securities LLC broker Guy P. Riordan from associating with any broker or dealer, and ordered him to pay a $500,000 penalty and to disgorge almost $938,354 in ill-gotten gains and interest for securities fraud violations stemming from a pay-to-play scheme involving the former treasurer of New Mexico.

DALLAS — On the verge of its fifth special legislative session of the year to reduce an ongoing budget deficit, Arizona plans to issue lease-purchase bonds to buy state buildings next month to avoid issuing IOUs to state employees in February.

DALLAS — The Texas A&M University System has called off a plan to issue $106.7 million of revenue financing system refunding bonds, citing market conditions that precluded sufficient savings.

DALLAS — The North Tarrant Express, a $2 billion toll road project that represents one of the largest public-private partnerships in Texas, begins its financial history clinging to investment-grade ­ratings.