Waukesha County Earns Highest Possible Bond Rating: Moody’s and Fitch Award Triple-A Bond Rating, Highlight Conservative Budgeting Practices
Today, Waukesha County has been awarded Triple-A bond ratings, the highest possible, from both Moody’s Investors Service and Fitch Ratings. The rating signifies exceptional credit-worthiness and ability to meet financial obligations. This helps lower borrowing costs and the tax rate in Waukesha County.
“Waukesha County’s budget team manages our finances with efficiency and skill,” said County Executive Paul Farrow. “This Triple-A bond rating reaffirms that we are utilizing best practices, and saves taxpayer dollars by allowing the County to pay lower interest rates on major projects.”
In their report, Moody’s Investors Service highlighted Waukesha County’s large tax base, strong economic diversity, and strong management with forward-looking planning. The report said, “The stable outlook reflects the expectation that the county’s tax base will continue to expand with four consecutive years of growth in equalized valuation, and remain diverse with strong income indicators. The outlook is also indicative of our belief that management’s conservative and forward-looking planning will continue to support a healthy financial profile.
Fitch Ratings said in their report, “The ‘AAA’ rating is based on a wealth and diverse economic base that is likely to demonstrate slow continued growth, combined with significant untapped taxing capacity and low long-term liability burden. Budget management has been noteworthy for its conservatism and Fitch expects this will remain the case.”
About Waukesha Counties Triple-A Bond Rating
This year marks the 26th consecutive year that Moody’s has awarded, and the 17th consecutive year that Fitch has awarded, Waukesha County this rating. Waukesha County is in the top 4% of counties nationwide to achieve the coveted Triple-A status. In 1998 Waukesha County became the first government in Wisconsin to be awarded AAA bond rating by Fitch Ratings.
Follow Waukesha County Executive Paul Farrow on Twitter as @PaulFarrowWI and on Facebook as CountyExecutivePaulFarrow.
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