NEW YORK (Standard&Poor's CreditWire) March 4, 1999—Standard&Poor's today assigned its double-'A' rating to Albuquerque, N.M.'s $26.47 million gross receipts tax bonds series 1999C dated March 15, 1999 due July 1, 2022. The bonds are scheduled to sell March 8, 1999. In addition, Standard&Poor's raised its rating on the city's outstanding gross receipts tax bonds series 1973 to double-'A'-plus from double-'A'. The rating reflects: -- A pledge of state-shared gross receipts tax (GRT) revenues securing the bonds, -- A broad and resilient sales tax base, -- Strong legal provisions, -- An expanding economy, and -- Sound fiscal management. Upon issuance of the series 1999C bonds, the GRT lien will be closed, and the rating on
