Montana $340 Million Surplus Gets AA Plus Rating

Montana's Governor, Brian Schweitzer reported that Montana has recently been upgraded to a double A plus credit rating, due, in part, to Montana's $340 million budget surplus, one of only eight US states without a budget shortfall for fiscal year 2012. 

Now, going into fiscal year 2012, which began July 1, 2011, the budget will have a surplus up 9.55% from where it was July 1, 2011. Though Republicans and Democrats had difficulty hammering out a budget all could agree to, both parties did reach an agreement, ending the session two days early and with some 80 bills vetoed.