Press Release|Public Finance
KBRA Assigns AAA Rating to State of Wisconsin General Obligation Bonds of 2026, Series B
3 Sep 2026 | New York
KBRA assigns a long-term rating of AAA with a Stable Outlook to the State of Wisconsin General Obligation Bonds of 2026, Series B.
Proceeds will be deposited in the State's Capital Improvement Fund and will be spent as the State incurs costs for various borrowing or issuance purposes.
Key Credit Considerations
The rating actions reflect the following key credit considerations:
Credit Positives
- Strength and breadth of the G.O. pledge, coupled with liquidity and market access to support short-term debt.
- Trend of conservative budgets, strong financial results and improved reserve levels.
- Strong liquidity position based on all sources of available cash for operations.
- Essentiality of assets under the Master Lease Program, supported by a strong, well-established legal framework.
Credit Challenges
- Drawdown of unusually large fund balance in 2025-27 biennium to a more historically normal level leaves outyear gaps to be addressed in next biennium.
- Federal policy changes for Medicaid cost-sharing and SNAP administration costs will increase program costs for the State. The full extent of these additional costs is not yet known.
Rating Sensitivities
For Upgrade
- Not applicable.
For Downgrade
- Material financial weakening, driven by budgetary imbalance over an extended period.
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