PARIS (Standard&Poor's CreditWire) March 5, 2001--Standard&Poor's today assigned a first rating to the City of Lausanne in Switzerland; a double-'A'-minus long-term issuer credit rating was assigned. The outlook is stable. The rating reflects: -- Lausanne's stable and diversified economy, which has further growth potential; -- The supportive nature of Switzerland's cantonal revenue equalization system; and -- The city's improving financial performance, despite an increase in financing requirements in 2000. Constraining factors are the city's: -- High debt burden, which reduces financial flexibility; -- Limited revenue flexibility; and -- Cyclical tax base. Lausanne, the capital of the State of Vaud, accounts for 20% of the canton's population with 125,000 inhabitants. It is also known as the Olympic
