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IPFS News Link • Economy - Economics USA

Cash-short Ariz. maxes out new line of credit

• AZ Republic

The state's cash-flow problems are so dire that it took less than two weeks for government to tap the entire $700 million loan it had borrowed to help with short-term needs.

State Treasurer Dean Martin on Wednesday said that means the state will have to revert to some internal borrowing to keep money flowing in the state's checking account.

The shortage developed when the Treasurer's Office had to make a Dec. 1 payment of $389 million to the state's schools, which exceeded the cash on hand. To make up the difference, Martin borrowed $73 million from internal state accounts.

Those amounts will be replenished as tax collections roll in.

On Nov. 19, the state finalized a loan agreement with Bank of America for $700 million, the first time since the Depression that Arizona has needed to turn to an outside borrower.

 

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