Southwest

The Pine Tree Independent School District in Texas hopes to issue $20 million of taxable general obligation bonds under the federal qualified school construction bond program if voters approve the proposal in May.

DALLAS — The dire revenue outlook for Kansas eased somewhat on Monday as the Department of Revenue reported higher-than-expected general fund collections.

DALLAS — With the Texas Permanent School Fund back in action after a yearlong hiatus, legislators are considering extending the bond guarantee to charter schools for new facilities next year.

DALLAS — The Arizona Department of Transportation is developing a $4 billion plan to reduce congestion on freeways in Maricopa County with bonds backed by sales tax revenue.

DALLAS — As other Texas cities struggle to finance light-rail lines, El Paso is planning a much less costly bus rapid-transit system with vehicles that look like rail cars but travel on dedicated paved pathways.

DALLAS — Texas is emerging from its worst recession in more than 30 years, earlier than other states, but lawmakers find themselves still struggling to recover from the effects as they seek to fill a budget hole that could grow to $15 billion.

Texas Sen. John Carona, R-Dallas, chairman of the Senate Committee on Transportation and Homeland Security, said last week that the state must find a way to finance highway projects, including an increase in the gasoline tax.

Build America Bonds arrived at a critical stage for the North Texas Tollway Authority as it was embarking on projects that would more than triple its debt load.

DALLAS — Faced with sharply falling revenue, Dallas Area Rapid Transit is considering delaying a key light-rail line to Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, among other measures to reduce spending.

DALLAS — The North Texas ­Tollway Authority yesterday named its underwriting team for $900 million of bonds expected to be issued in the next 90 days, including a $500 million deal that will be the first of its kind in Texas.