EUGENE, Ore. — Lane County has once again earned high marks for its financial management, with Moody’s Investors Service reaffirming the county’s Aa1 credit rating following its annual review. The rating is the second-highest issued by Moody’s and reflects the county’s strong financial health and responsible fiscal management.
County officials said the rating underscores Lane County’s commitment to protecting taxpayer resources while maintaining essential public services.
“We have a duty to steward taxpayer resources, and we work hard to manage our expenses, structurally balance our budget and deliver critical services to our communities,” County Administrator Steve Mokrohisky said. “A high credit rating for Lane County means lower costs to issue debt—think of it like a lower interest rate—and ultimately saves our taxpayers millions of dollars over the coming years.”
In its review, Moody’s cited the county’s strong financial position, proactive management team and low debt burden as key strengths. The agency also assigned Lane County a stable outlook, noting its expectation that the county will continue to maintain healthy reserve funds and liquidity through sound financial management.
Lane County has steadily improved its credit standing over the past decade. Moody’s upgraded the county’s rating from Aa3 to Aa2 in 2017 and again from Aa2 to Aa1 in 2019.
In addition to its strong credit rating, Lane County has also been recognized by independent auditing firm Baker Tilly as a low-risk auditee, reflecting its effective management of federal funds.
Moody’s evaluates government entities based on a variety of financial indicators, including management practices, fiscal health, debt levels and the strength of the local economy. A higher credit rating generally allows governments to borrow at lower interest rates, reducing financing costs for infrastructure and other capital projects and providing long-term savings for taxpayers.
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