Standard & Poor’s raised the rating on Massachusetts qualified bonds to AA from AA-minus, with a stable outlook. The qualified bond program boosts communities with marginal credit ratings by paying their debt service directly from state appropriations.
Wednesday’s move reflects the rating agency’s upgrade five days earlier of the state’s general obligation bonds to AA-plus, according to credit analyst Victor Medeiros.
The affected municipalities and school districts that have qualified debt rated by S&P are the Central Berkshire Regional School District, Chelsea, Fall River, Gloucester, the Hampshire Regional School District, the Haverhill, Hawlemont Regional School District, Lawrence, Lowell, Lynn, Medford, Pittsfield, Quincy, Revere, Salem, Springfield and Taunton.
