BOSTON (Standard&Poor's) Jan. 21, 2014--Standard&Poor's Ratings Services raised its general obligation (GO) rating on the Town of Franklin, Mass. to 'AA+' from 'AA'. The outlook is stable. "We base the upgrade on application of our local GO criteria released Sept. 12, 2013," said Standard&Poor's credit analyst Apple Lo. Limited ad valorem taxes levied on taxable property within Franklin secure the GO bonds. The rating reflects our assessment of the following factors for the town, specifically: We consider the town's economy to be very strong. Franklin, with an estimated population of 32,000, is about 28 miles from New England's largest cities: Boston; Worcester, Mass.; and Providence, R.I. In our opinion, the town's budgetary flexibility and
