Southwest

Voters in Scottsdale will decide whether to increase the city's hotel tax by two percentage points to 13.92% on March 9. Officials said the increased tax would raise an additional $5.5 million in revenue.

Oklahoma state agencies will get 10% less than appropriated for December, as tax revenue fell in November for the 11th consecutive month.

Arizona lawmakers are preparing to meet in a special session tomorrow to consider calling for a temporary sales-tax increase and $200 million in spending cuts to ease an estimated $1.6 billion deficit.

The University of Arkansas will begin a multi-year effort to renovate facilities at its main campus in Fayetteville with most of the proceeds from this week's negotiated sale of $51.9 million of facility revenue bonds by the University of Arkansas Board of Trustees.

As Houston's comptroller, Annise Parker supervised millions of dollars worth of bond deals over the past six years. Now, as mayor, she will broaden her oversight of the city, with plans to tighten the budget and wield greater control over the Harris County Metropolitan Transit Authority that is expanding the city's light-rail system.

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.