While large municipalities coast to coast are struggling with mountainous, ruinous debt, and deficits that resist resolution, the Midwestern states esteem a high creditworthiness.
Wisconsin boasts of four of the top ten cities in the United States with the highest Experian credit score ratings, including Madison and Green Bay.
The report, released by MSN Money, does not credit the source for these high credit ratings where credit is due.
I would submit that Governor Walker and his GOP colleagues budget reforms have a lot to do with the improved economic climate in the Dairy State. Now that local school boards and municipalities have more freedom to negotiate less costly pension and benefits programs with their public employees, they have saved large sums of taxpayer dollars while also discharging massive debt.
By avoiding tax hikes in the midst of a slow economic recovery, the Republicans have improved Wisconsin's business climate, inviting more business, more employment, greater tax revenues, lower debt, better credit scores.
True to its state motto, Wisconsin is leading the way "Forward!" for cities and states across the United States.