NEW YORK (Standard&Poor's) Feb. 19, 2010--Standard&Poor's Rating Services has raised its underlying rating (SPUR) on Albuquerque, N.M.'s refuse removal and disposal revenue bonds to 'AA' from 'AA-', reflecting a history of strong debt service coverage. The outlook is stable. Additional rating factors include: Albuquerque's manageable capital improvement plan, Limited competition to the city's solid waste department for these services, Long-term landfill capacity, and Relatively low rates with a strong rate collection mechanism. "We expect that the city's service area economy and waste flow trends will continue to grow, contributing to good coverage and liquidity levels," said Standard&Poor's credit analyst Edward McGlade. "We also expect that the limited competitive environment and manageable capital plan should
