Bangkok--5 Feb--Standard & Poor's
As the recession continues to alter their economic and revenue forecasts, officials of many state and local governments have appealed to Washington to help them deal with the difficult situations they face. Whatever the end result in Congress may be, Standard & Poor's Ratings Services expects that elements of the final stimulus plan will become part of its credit review process for state and local governments, according to a report published today, "U.S. State And Local Governments Are Also Counting On A Federal Stimulus Package."
"If a stimulus plan becomes final, we will assess its potential impact on state and local governments' budgets and financial positions, capital improvement plans, debt profiles, and overall economic activities. We will also view the size of the program, the level of direct assistance and how beneficiaries use it, and the allocation process as key credit considerations," said credit analyst Robin Prunty.
The reports are available to subscribers of RatingsDirect, the real-time Web-based source for Standard & Poor's credit ratings, research, and risk analysis, at www.ratingsdirect.com. If you are not a RatingsDirect subscriber, you may purchase a copy of the report by calling (1) 212-438-9823 or sending an e-mail to [email protected]. Ratings information can also be found on Standard & Poor's public Web site at www.standardandpoors.com; under Ratings in the left navigation bar, select Find a Rating. Members of the media may request copies of these reports by contacting the media representative provided.
Media Contact:
Edward Sweeney, New York (1) 212-438-6643, [email protected]
Analyst Contacts:
Robin Prunty, New York (1) 212-438-2081
Richard J Marino, New York (1) 212-438-2058