BOSTON (Standard&Poor's) Nov. 9, 2012--Standard&Poor's Ratings Services assigned its 'AA' rating to Minnesota's series 2012 A and B state general fund appropriation refunding bonds. The outlook is stable. At the same time, Standard&Poor's affirmed its 'AA+' rating, and stable outlook, on Minnesota's general obligation (GO) debt outstanding. "In our view, Minnesota has strong financial management policies and a solid track record of making budget adjustments in a timely manner," said Standard&Poor's credit analyst Henry Henderson. This will be an important credit consideration in the next several years, in our opinion, given the state's diminished financial flexibility. Additional credit factors supporting the ratings include our view of the state's: Deep and diverse economy
