Municipal Bond Trends for March 31, 2026

The interest rate table above illustrates recent changes in a sample of AA rated bond trades reported to the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board’s EMMA® system. Every issuer’s credit is different, and other financing sources may be available. To obtain comprehensive Financial Advisory services for your local government, contact your Ranson Financial Municipal Advisor, Larry Kleeman, or Henry Schmidt.

Henry Schmidt2026-04-01T11:34:28-05:00April 1, 2026|Finance|

Municipal Bond Trends for March 30, 2026

The interest rate table above illustrates recent changes in a sample of AA rated bond trades reported to the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board’s EMMA® system. Every issuer’s credit is different, and other financing sources may be available. To obtain comprehensive Financial Advisory services for your local government, contact your Ranson Financial Municipal Advisor, Larry Kleeman, or Henry Schmidt.

Henry Schmidt2026-03-31T09:59:04-05:00March 31, 2026|Finance|

What could happen if HB 2745 is NOT vetoed by the governor

On Friday evening, the Kansas Legislature passed S Sub HB 2745 that allows voters (through a protest petition signed by 10% of voters) to effectively veto a budget with property taxes increased beyond the CPI (inflation index), or 3%, whichever is lower.

If not vetoed by the Governor, a number of financial risks could arise for local governments, including …

Cumulative Revenue Erosion: Because the 3% cap acts as a bottleneck during years of high inflation (it was 8.0% in 2022), property tax revenue could quickly fall behind actual costs, creating a permanent ever-growing revenue gap.
Loss of the “Gold Standard” in Municipal Bonding: The bill restricts the ability of local governments to issue unlimited tax general obligation (ULTGO) bonds backed by the issuer’s authority to levy property taxes as necessary in order to ensure repayment of principal and interest due in-full and on-time.
Bond Rating Downgrades: The bill could trigger downgrades of municipal bond ratings, making it harder for cities and counties to secure affordable financing for infrastructure and other critical projects.
Higher Debt Service Costs: The loss of ULTGO authority would result in higher interest rates on future borrowing, increasing long-term debt service costs and placing additional strain on already limited local budgets.
Difficulty Selling Debt: With the loss of ULTGO authority, selling debt at reasonable interest rates may become difficult, if not impossible (especially for small and medium sized cities) leading to increased borrowing costs and limited access to capital markets.
Existing Debt: Existing obligations that depend on planned future tax revenue could require cuts to essential services, such as police, fire, or public works.
Mid-Stream Project Terminations: Projects that are currently underway but not yet fully bonded could be forced to stop, resulting in “half-completed” infrastructure and wasted investments if future funds dry up.
Canceled Planned Projects: Any planned projects may have to be canceled if bond funding can no longer be secured, stalling community development and improvements.
Returned Grants: Grants already awarded to local governments might need to be returned if they require a local funding match that is no longer feasible.
Loss of Economic Development and Housing Opportunities: Without access to financing, cities may be unable to support or attract new businesses and housing development, undermining job creation, housing availability, and local economic growth.

If the Governor does veto this bill, the Legislature still could attempt an override or additional legislation for the remainder of the 2026 session.

To discuss specific projects or concerns, contact your Ranson Financial Municipal Advisor.

Ranson Financial2026-03-30T11:36:52-05:00March 30, 2026|Finance, Legal|

Lawrence’s efforts to protect the environment have lots of parts that all depend on each other

There’s a clean energy ordinance that could change soon. There’s the city’s strategic plan, which will soon get an update. There are two new city commissioners, a sustainability department with just a $4,000 operating budget for this year, and multiple other departments doing their own environmental work.
Read more: LJWorld

Ranson Financial2026-03-30T07:50:01-05:00March 30, 2026|News|

Rural Kansas grocery store closing illustrates challenge of fighting food deserts

Prices are up for rural grocers, margins are thin, staff are hard to find and transportation costs are higher for small-town stores. Communities across Kansas have been attempting new ways to fill in the grocery gaps. But some of those solutions are coming up short.
Read more: Wichita Eagle

Ranson Financial2026-03-30T07:39:45-05:00March 30, 2026|News|

Municipal Bond Trends for March 27, 2026

The interest rate table above illustrates recent changes in a sample of AA rated bond trades reported to the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board’s EMMA® system. Every issuer’s credit is different, and other financing sources may be available. To obtain comprehensive Financial Advisory services for your local government, contact your Ranson Financial Municipal Advisor, Larry Kleeman, or Henry Schmidt.

Henry Schmidt2026-03-29T12:52:29-05:00March 29, 2026|Finance|

Municipal Bond Trends for March 26, 2026

The interest rate table above illustrates recent changes in a sample of AA rated bond trades reported to the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board’s EMMA® system. Every issuer’s credit is different, and other financing sources may be available. To obtain comprehensive Financial Advisory services for your local government, contact your Ranson Financial Municipal Advisor, Larry Kleeman, or Henry Schmidt.

Henry Schmidt2026-03-27T09:43:21-05:00March 27, 2026|Finance|

Municipal Bond Trends for March 25, 2026

The interest rate table above illustrates recent changes in a sample of AA rated bond trades reported to the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board’s EMMA® system. Every issuer’s credit is different, and other financing sources may be available. To obtain comprehensive Financial Advisory services for your local government, contact your Ranson Financial Municipal Advisor, Larry Kleeman, or Henry Schmidt.

Henry Schmidt2026-03-26T11:16:46-05:00March 26, 2026|Finance|

City Commission packet again include Financial Report

The Garden City Commission packet is getting a monthly financial report once again. Jared Kuhlmann, Garden City Finance Director, presented and explained the new, monthly Financial Report that they will provide to the Commission’s meeting packets at its regular meeting on March 17. Kuhlmann said a few years ago a Financial Report was included in every other meeting’s packet, but they went away from that when they got Tyler Software, which they use for tracking finances. But they felt it was prudent, after looking at the performance metrics, to bring it back.
Read more: Garden City Telegram

Ranson Financial2026-03-26T09:57:52-05:00March 26, 2026|Finance|

City commission considers 0.5% sales tax to triage road quality

Manhattan city commissioners on Tuesday weighed their options on addressing street conditions and related funding decisions. Pavement Condition Index values provide a rating of pavement conditions and integrity through a 0-100 range. Manhattan city roadways were generally found to be in fair condition, averaging a 60 rating. City engineer and public works director Brian Johnson said the city’s current “backlog” of road maintenance has reached 18%, meaning those roads require full or partial reconstruction.
Read more: News Radio KMAN

Ranson Financial2026-03-26T09:46:58-05:00March 26, 2026|Finance|