Economy

A 56-mile tollway around the eastern and southern Austin metro area is expected to be open in April, although some of the highway will still be under construction. Officials had expected Texas 45 Southeast to begin operating in summer with all construction completed.

A coalition of Utah County legislators, mayors, and commissioners is urging Utah state lawmakers to approve issuing bonds to start work on $5 billion of improvements to Interstate 15.

The Phoenix City Council will consider this week a proposal from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport to cut $15.8 million in expenses and eliminate 47 jobs in fiscal 2010 due to a decline in flights and passengers using the facility.

New Jersey officials are looking for underwriting services for an upcoming grant anticipation revenue vehicle bond deal that will help finance road and bridge repairs estimated at $270 million.

As New York's 2009 legislative session kicks into high gear the state's largest issuers are looking for support for their annual wish lists.

Fitch Ratings last week upgraded about $64.4 million of outstanding Delaware Health Facilities Authority revenue bonds sold for the Beebe Medical Center project to A-minus from BBB-plus.

AUSTIN - Texas could issue the first bonds from a $3 billion cancer research program by the end of the year if the Legislature approves debt service appropriations in the current session, Lieut. Gov. David Dewhurst said yesterday.

CHICAGO - The tough times plaguing U.S. not-for-profit health care borrowers are likely to continue through 2010, Fitch Ratings warned in a report on the sector issued yesterday.

SAN FRANCISCO - California officials say the state has done enough to fix health care at its prisons and a federal court should dismiss a receiver who has ordered the state to spend $8 billion to build and renovate prison hospitals.

WASHINGTON - The Montgomery, Md., County Council this week approved an east-west, light-rail system that would connect Montgomery and Prince George's counties, moving the $1.2 billion "Purple Line" project forward after more than 20 years of planning.

The New Jersey Turnpike Authority will now use a pool of 32 investment banks when it issues debt rather than reviewing underwriter proposals each time it heads to market.

WASHINGTON - House members last night voted 244 to 188 to approve a $819 billion economic stimulus bill that they had amended to tighten transportation funding requirements for state and local governments.

DALLAS - Texas Gov. Rick Perry yesterday told lawmakers that the state's condition was "good," while acknowledging the impact of a deepening national recession that has sent energy and home prices plummeting and prompted massive bailouts for finance and automotive firms.

CHICAGO - The Minneapolis-St. Paul Metropolitan Airports Commission this week signed off on a new agreement with Delta Air Lines Inc. that allows the carrier to close its former Northwest Airlines Corp. local headquarters without triggering immediate repayment of $245 million of debt.

Mayor Richard Daley yesterday announced his selection of Chicago Transit Authority president Ron Huberman to replace Arne Duncan as Chicago Public Schools chief after Duncan’s departure earlier this month to serve in President Obama’s cabinet as education secretary.

The Senate Appropriations Committee approved its $358 billion stimulus spending package yesterday, sending it to the full Senate without any amendments after less than three hours of committee discussion.

CHICAGO - As Evansville, Ind.-based Deaconess Health System prepares to issue roughly $100 million in fixed- and variable-rate bonds, finance officials say they are hoping to take advantage of the growing appetite for tax-exempt health care debt among retail buyers.

DALLAS - East Baton Rouge Parish intends to take $110 million of sales-tax-supported road and street improvement bonds to market today, but officials will watch the market before deciding whether to issue the debt as scheduled.

New York's Metropolitan Transportation Authority plans sell up to $2.59 billion of bonds in 2009, the agency said yesterday.

The Senate Appropriations Committee will meet today to vote on a stimulus spending bill that offers less funding than requested by water utilities, municipal housing finance officials, and some senators. The groups are pushing for a revision.