...TORONTO (S&P Global Ratings) Sept. 21, 2017--S&P Global Ratings has assigned its '##+' rating and stable outlook to the State of Minnesota's general obligation (GO) bonds, series 2017 A through E. At the same time, S&P Global Ratings has affirmed its '##+' rating on Minnesota's GO debt, its '##' rating on the state's appropriation-backed debt, and its 'A+' rating on the state's moral obligation debt. The outlook on all ratings is stable. Credit factors supporting the ratings include our view of the state's: + Deep and diverse economy, with the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan statistical area (MSA), the center of the upper Midwest economy, anchoring regional economic hubs; + Improved financial results, including the restoration of reserves and improved structural balance despite the recent political impasse between the governor and the legislature that led to a line-item veto of the legislature's budget; and + Moderate debt levels, with well-defined debt management guidelines. This is...
