Ranson Financial, Author at Ranson Financial Group LLC

The state of Kansas is working to make its communities a whole lot cleaner

The state of Kansas is working to make its communities a whole lot cleaner. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment has announced the recipients of it’s solid waste reduction grants. $450,000 will be distributed to 24 entities across the state and help incorporate recycling, waste minimization, public education and create environmentally friendly habits. The city of Columbus hopes to use roughly $5,000 of the grant to help keep their city parks clean. Jake Letner, Columbus Community Development Coordinator, says, “We don’t really have many opportunities in our parks to recycle so we hope that by implementing these new recycling and waste bins it will improve the look of our parks and promote recycling and sustainability in our community.”
Source: KSNF/KODE

Ranson Financial2021-08-17T01:13:18-05:00August 17, 2021|News|

City commission to discuss half-cent sales tax question

Parsons city commissioners Monday will look at adding a question to the November ballot on continuing the city’s half-cent sales tax. Commissioners will meet at 6 p.m. Monday at the Municipal Building in the city commission meeting room. City officials will broadcast the meeting online at livestream.com/ParsonsKansas. People also can watch on Sparklight channel 58. The sales tax, if approved by voters, would go into effect Jan. 1, 2023, and last for five years.
Source: Parsons Sun

Ranson Financial2021-08-17T01:12:02-05:00August 17, 2021|News|

Census: Pottawatomie County has biggest percentage growth in Kansas

Pottawatomie County is No. 1. Pottawatomie County experienced the largest population growth by percentage in Kansas from 2010 to 2020, according to Census data. The U.S. Census Bureau on Thursday released data on its 2020 population count. Pottawatomie County’s population grew 17.3% from 21,604 to 25,348. It was one of two Kansas counties that recorded a double-digit percentage growth; Johnson County grew by 12.1% from 544,179 in 2010 to 609,863 people in 2020.
Source: themercury.com

Ranson Financial2021-08-17T06:43:56-05:00August 17, 2021|News|

COVID-19 brought a ‘tectonic shift’ to higher education in Kansas

The college business model — one that depends on students living on campus and attending classes in person — was broken even before the pandemic. COVID-19 just made things more obvious. Classes moved online. Campus buildings and dormitories sat empty. Students flocked home. And many haven’t returned. Enrollment at Kansas colleges and universities fell by 8.1% last fall — more than the national average. With continued uncertainty over COVID-19 and the highly contagious delta variant, universities could face the biggest money crisis in their history. “The pandemic … converged with longer-term challenges facing enrollment,” said Blake Flanders, president and CEO of the Kansas Board of Regents.
Source: Hutch News.

Ranson Financial2021-08-16T07:18:13-05:00August 16, 2021|News|

Municipal Bond Trends for August 13, 2021

The interest rate table above illustrates recent changes in a sample of MBIS “investment grade” yields. Every issuer’s credit is different. For rates that may be applicable to your municipality, contact our Municipal Bond Advisors, Larry Kleeman and Beth Warren.

Ranson Financial2021-08-16T06:54:51-05:00August 16, 2021|News|

U.S. 10-year Treasury yield falls below 1.3% as consumer confidence drops to 2011 levels

The 10-year Treasury yield dropped further Friday morning, briefly dipping below 1.3%, after U.S. consumer sentiment data plummeted to its lowest level since December 2011, according to data out Friday from the University of Michigan. The yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury note fell 6 basis points to 1.304% at 1:30 p.m. ET. The yield on the 30-year Treasury bond gave up 7.5 basis points, falling to 1.952%. Yields move inversely to prices and one basis point is 0.01%. U.S. consumer confidence fell in August to its lowest level since 2011, as fears about the delta variant and the reopening of the economy continue to spread. The consumer sentiment index fell 13% from the July reading to 70.2, the University of Michigan reported Friday. Economists surveyed by Dow Jones expected a reading of 81.3 for August.
Source: CNBC – Bonds

Ranson Financial2021-08-16T00:58:44-05:00August 16, 2021|News|

Forward delivery bond issuance smashes though previous record

Forward delivery bonds have already surpassed their annual record for issuance as issuers use the tool, along with taxable refundings, to replace the loss of tax-exempt advance refundings. Forward delivery bonds are attractive to both issuers looking for savings and investors seeking any incremental yield in an uber low-rate environment, Barclays PLC said in a Friday report. The underwriting process is similar to a typical refunding transaction, but with an extended settlement date. So far this year, $6.224 billion of forward delivery bonds have been issued, according to Bloomberg and Barclays data. That is up from about $2.724 billion in 2020 and $4.484 billion in 2019, the previous record. Prior to 2018, issuance was below $1 billion except for 2015 where it was just above that figure at $1.560 billion.
Source: The Bond Buyer

Ranson Financial2021-08-16T00:56:50-05:00August 16, 2021|News|

Population drops in 80 Kansas counties

Most Kansas counties lost residents over the past 10 years as the state’s population concentrated in more populous places, including the Kansas City area, new census figures released Thursday showed. Data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s once-a-decade count of the nation’s population showed that 80 of the state’s 105 counties declined in population since 2010, 16 of them by more than 10%. Most of those counties were rural. Five of the top 10 fastest-growing counties were in or close to the Kansas City metropolitan area. The state’s most populous county, Johnson County, has affluent Kansas City suburbs that have been growing for decades, and its population grew another 12.1% in the past 10 years. Census figures show that Kansas saw a 3% increase in population over 10 years, to almost 2.94 million. Population shifts within the state mean a shift in political clout away from rural areas and toward Kansas City and a few other areas when the Legislature redraws political boundaries next year.
Source: The Iola Register

Ranson Financial2021-08-16T00:53:39-05:00August 16, 2021|News|

Wichita teachers’ union votes yes on new contract with USD 259 as school year begins

Wichita school district teachers voted overwhelmingly to approve a new union contract with USD 259 as the new academic year began this week, citing pay increases and bonuses that recognize teachers’ work in the pandemic. Nearly 66% of certified staff voted on the contract, said Brent Lewis, president of United Teachers of Wichita, the union that represents USD 259 teachers as well as nurses, counselors and other staff. Of those voting, 93.5% voted yes on the agreement, while 6.5% voted no. The contract covers more than 4,000 teachers and staff across the district, and will last for one year.
Source: Wichita Eagle

Ranson Financial2021-08-16T06:55:00-05:00August 16, 2021|News|

Massive Amazon fulfillment center started local work Sunday in Park City

The brand-new, 1-million-square-foot Amazon fulfillment center in Park City will become operational Sunday. Two hundred employees will begin filling orders for the online retail giant, which says it plans to employ between 700 and 1,000 workers throughout the year, depending on customer demand. “It’s truly amazing what’s been accomplished in the last 10 and a half months,” said Sean Fox, Park City’s city manager. “A year ago, nobody even knew that Amazon was coming here.”
Source: Wichita Eagle

Ranson Financial2021-08-16T06:55:39-05:00August 16, 2021|News|

About Ranson Financial

The state of Kansas is working to make its communities a whole lot cleaner

City commission to discuss half-cent sales tax question

Census: Pottawatomie County has biggest percentage growth in Kansas

COVID-19 brought a ‘tectonic shift’ to higher education in Kansas

Municipal Bond Trends for August 13, 2021

U.S. 10-year Treasury yield falls below 1.3% as consumer confidence drops to 2011 levels

Forward delivery bond issuance smashes though previous record

Population drops in 80 Kansas counties

Wichita teachers’ union votes yes on new contract with USD 259 as school year begins

Massive Amazon fulfillment center started local work Sunday in Park City

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