Moody’s downgrades Kansas, Masterson and Donovan not concerned

Ty Masterson’s not concerned, and Sen. Donovan implies they’ll just cut more spending. We’re very concerned. “Citing a sluggish recovery from the recession, risk inherent in the governor’s tax plan and uncertainty over the Legislature’s ability to keep cutting spending, one of the nation’s two major debt rating agencies downgraded Kansas’ credit rating Thursday.
‘The downgrade reflects Kansas’ relatively sluggish recovery compared with its peers, the use of non-recurring measures to balance the budget, revenue reductions resulting from tax cuts which have not been fully offset by recurring spending cuts, and an underfunded retirement system for which the state is not making required contributions,’ the report said.
In addition, the report criticized Kansas for taking money from the state highway fund to pay for general government expenses.
‘I’m not overly concerned’ about the downgrade, said Ty Masterson, R-Andover, chairman of the Ways and Means Committee. If the state runs into serious fiscal trouble, ‘we just do what you have to do to make it work,’ he said.
Assessment and Taxation Chairman Les Donovan, R-Wichita, said he agreed that ‘if we don’t get our spending in line with our income, we’re always going to be in trouble.’”

http://www.kansas.com/2014/05/01/3434066/moodys-downgrades-kansas-credit.html#storylink=cpy

Notably, Sen. Masterson filed for bankruptcy in 2011. http://www.kansas.com/2011/03/06/1749823/andover-state-senator-files-for.html

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