AFFIRMATION AFFECTS Aa3 RATING ON $391 MILLION OF HUDSON COUNTY LONG-TERM G.O. AND COUNTY-GUARANTEED DEBT
New York, April 16, 2012 --
Moody's Rating
Issue: Gauranteed Renewable Energy Program Lease Revenue Bonds,
Series 2012A; Rating: Aa3; Sale Amount: $6,300,000;
Expected Sale Date: 4-19-12; Rating Description:
General Obligation
Opinion
Moody's Investors Service has assigned a Aa3 rating to Hudson County Improvement
Authority's (NJ) $6.3 million County-Guaranteed Renewable
Energy Program Lease Revenue Bonds, Series 2012A. Concurrently,
Moody's has affirmed the Aa3 rating on $391 million of direct
Hudson County long-term GO debt and county-guaranteed debt.
Proceeds of these bonds will finance renewable energy projects throughout
the county.
SUMMARY RATING RATIONALE
This rating is directly linked to the county's general obligation bond
rating, as its general obligation pledge ultimately secures this
transaction. The current issue is first secured by lease payments
made by the Company (G&S Solar Installers, LLC) with revenue
generated from solar energy sales to 12 municipalities, school districts
and other local government units within Hudson County, including
the county itself; however, ultimately security is derived
from a Guaranty Agreement under which the county has pledged its unlimited
ad valorem taxing authority.
The county's long-term general obligation rating of Aa3 reflects
the county's substantial, expanding tax base and a stable financial
position. The rating also reflects the county's exposure,
through guaranteed debt, to the Town of Harrison's (GO rated Ba3/Rating
Under Review) underperforming development projects as well as to Hudson
County Improvement Authority's relatively stressed solid waste system.
In addition, the rating considers the county's exposure to short-term
market volatility, as county and county-guaranteed short-term
notes and bonds, amounting to $449 million, represent
nearly half of total outstanding debt and takes the form of maturities
ranging from $26 million to $138 million. Future
rating reviews will continue to consider the county's ability to maintain
its current financial position in light of a heightened risk to fund guaranteed
debt service.
The stable outlook reflects our expectation that the county will maintain
a stable financial position at the Aa3 credit level, supported by
conservative budgeting of economically sensitive revenues, ongoing
expenditure management and limited reliance on one-time revenue
sources, which has resulted in four consecutive years of fund balance
growth. The county is relatively well positioned to maintain financial
stability in the coming years despite revenue constraints created by a
statewide 2% property tax levy limitation, given a favorable
geographic location and continued growth of the county's taxable base,
which is expected to benefit from future PILOT expirations rendering properties
taxable.
STRENGTHS
-Substantial and diverse tax base with favorable location
-Stable, structurally balanced financial operations
CHALLENGES
- Above-average debt burden with significant exposure to
county-guaranteed enterprise debt and short-term debt
-Below average wealth levels
-Statutory 2% levy cap
Outlook
The stable outlook reflects our expectation that the county will maintain
a stable financial position supported by conservative budgeting of economically
sensitive revenues, ongoing expenditure management and limited reliance
on one-time revenue sources, which has resulted in four consecutive
years of fund balance growth. Despite the risks in its debt profile,
the county remains relatively well positioned to maintain financial stability
in the coming years, in spite of revenue constraints created by
a statewide 2% property tax levy limitation, given a favorable
location and continued growth of the county's taxable base which are expected
to benefit from future PILOT expirations as properties become taxable.
WHAT COULD CHANGE THE RATING (UP):
-Strong growth in taxable assessed valuation over the medium term
-Increased Current Fund balance
-Increased liquidity
-Decline in amount of county-guaranteed debt
WHAT COULD CHANGE THE RATING (DOWN):
-Failure to pay county-guaranteed debt service payments
should the need arise
-Decline in financial position or liquidity
-Failure to achieve market access on notes or restructurings
-Significant growth in the HCIA's debt burden through direct borrowing
or county-guaranteed debt
Principal Methodology
The principal methodology used in this rating was General Obligation Bonds
Issued by U.S. Local Governments published in October 2009.
Please see the Credit Policy page on www.moodys.com for
a copy of this methodology.
REGULATORY DISCLOSURES
The Global Scale Credit Ratings on this press release that are issued
by one of Moody's affiliates outside the EU are endorsed by Moody's
Investors Service Ltd., One Canada Square, Canary Wharf,
London E 14 5FA, UK, in accordance with Art.4 paragraph
3 of the Regulation (EC) No 1060/2009 on Credit Rating Agencies.
Further information on the EU endorsement status and on the Moody's
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Vito Galluccio
Analyst
Public Finance Group
Moody's Investors Service, Inc.
250 Greenwich Street
New York, NY 10007
U.S.A.
JOURNALISTS: 212-553-0376
SUBSCRIBERS: 212-553-1653
Julie Beglin
Vice President - Senior Analyst
Public Finance Group
JOURNALISTS: 212-553-0376
SUBSCRIBERS: 212-553-1653
Releasing Office:
Moody's Investors Service, Inc.
250 Greenwich Street
New York, NY 10007
U.S.A.
JOURNALISTS: 212-553-0376
SUBSCRIBERS: 212-553-1653
MOODY'S ASSIGNS Aa3 RATING TO HUDSON COUNTY IMPROVEMENT AUTHORITY'S (NJ) $6.3 MILLION COUNTY-GUARANTEED RENEWABLE ENERGY PROGRAM LEASE REVENUE BONDS, SERIES 2012 A (FEDERALLY TAXABLE), OUTLOOK HAS CHANGED TO STABLE