SAN FRANCISCO (Standard&Poor's CreditWire) Sept. 6, 2000--Standard&Poor's today assigned its single-'A'-plus rating to Portland, Ore.'s $150 million sewer system revenue bonds series 2000A. The bonds are scheduled to sell Sept. 11, 2000. In addition, Standard&Poor's affirmed its single-'A'-plus rating and single-'A'-plus underlying rating (SPUR) on the city's outstanding sewer system revenue bonds. The outlook is stable. The rating reflects: -- A very large system, which services the Portland-Vancouver economy; -- A strong management team; and -- Sustained strong historical coverage of annual debt service. Offsetting factors include a large, $857 million capital improvement plan and high sewer rates of $32.30/month, which are projected to increase in the near term. Portland owns, operates, and maintains
