Moody’s Investors Service announced that it has downgraded the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s $1.2 billion of Proposition C sales tax revenue bonds to Aa3 from Aa2 and $166 million of general revenue bonds to A1 from Aa3.
The downgrade of the bonds reflects the weaker leverage constraint of 1.30 times on the Proposition C lien compared to an effective additional bonds test of 2.46 times for Proposition A bonds and 2.50 times for Measure R bonds.
The 1.30 times ABT is relatively weak compared to other highly rated mass transit sales tax bonds.
Also included in the rating consideration was the cumulative 18% decline in pledged revenues between fiscal years 2008 and 2010.
The stable outlook reflects Moody’s analyts expectations of continuation of recovery in retail sales within Los Angeles County.
