Monday, March 25, 2024

Credit Agency S&P Global Affirms Medford’s AA+ Bond Rating Firm attributes strong rating to improved reserve levels and annual new growth

 Joe V writes: With broken streets, sewer and water in distress, Medford City Hall literally passes the buck, the AA+ rating more sacrosanct than your rights, your health and safety.  This is a holdover from the mad McGlynn regime, and the current, new city council and mayor turn a blind eye on the health issues and focus on AA+. Shameful. You can't really speak about it as the mayor has installed an abusive buffoon as station manager whose resume includes being a duck boat driver (seriously!) instead of a passion for access.  Breanna made that a priority, put a fool in rather than someone skilled at access, in order to keep you away.  Kevin Harrington is a fraud and like a can of Raid so that you can't talk about foolishness like Bond Rating over peoples' needs.


Mon, Mar 25 at 10:37 AM

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – March 25, 2024
Contact: Steve Smirti, Director of Communications (
ssmirti@medford-ma.gov), 781-393-2529

 

Credit Agency S&P Global Affirms Medford’s AA+ Bond Rating

Firm attributes strong rating to improved reserve levels and annual new growth

 

(MEDFORD)—S&P Global affirmed the City’s AA+ credit rating, the second highest possible rating for a municipality, Mayor Breanna Lungo-Koehn announced. When deciding on its rating, S&P cited Medford’s “consistent financial results and improved reserve levels,” as well as noting that the City’s levels of taxable new growth had “rebounded from pandemic-related slowdowns,” and that local receipts “outperformed” budget estimates.

 

“I am thrilled that S&P has acknowledged the tremendous work our team has been doing to expand the City’s growth, improve our financial outlook and prepare for future emergencies by building our cash reserves,” Mayor Lungo-Koehn said. “This credit rating solidifies that our financial strategy is on the right track and will continue to prioritize the community’s fiscal health while also continuing to invest in key infrastructure, programming, and resource initiatives while settling several fair contracts. Thank you to our finance team, led by our Finance Director/Auditor Bob Dickinson and Assistant Finance Director/Budget Manager Courtney Cardello, as well as  Treasurer/Collector Judy Johnston, Chief Assessor Ted Costigan, and Chief of Staff Nina Nazarian.”

 

The report gave a substantial overview of the City’s credit overview and specifically cited several factors that led to the impressive credit rating, including:

  • Fund balance has “nearly doubled over the last three years...”
  • City Council approved establishing a general stabilization account
  • A “strong management environment with a suite of formal policies and robust long-term capital and financial planning.”

As for the City’s outlook, S&P Global stated that “our view of Medford’s consistent financial performance and reserve levels that is likely to be sustained based on the city’s strong managerial framework.”

 

This affirmation wouldn’t have been possible without the collaborative work between the City administration, City Council and School Committee to craft responsible budgets and begin the planning to properly protect the community from future unforeseen emergencies.

 

The full report is available on the City’s website at medfordma.org/budget.

 

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Steve Smirti

Director of Communications | Office of Mayor Breanna Lungo-Koehn

Medford City Hall

85 George P Hassett Dr, Medford, MA 02155

781-393-2529 (office)

781-885-4296 (mobile)

ssmirti@medford-ma.gov

www.medfordma.org

Please note: The Commonwealth of Massachusetts considers most electronic communications to and from public employees to be public records and disclosable under the Massachusetts Public Records Law and its regulations. *Please consider the environment before printing this email.* 

 

Please note: The Commonwealth of Massachusetts considers most electronic communications to and from public employees to be public records and disclosable under the Massachusetts Public Records Law and its regulations. *Please consider the environment before printing this email.*

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