The rating on Colorado Springs, Colo.'s bonds reflects the following credit strengths: * Broad economic base with a large military component, * Good retail sales activity and low unemployment, * Low debt burden, and * Healthy financial position. These strengths are offset by slightly below-average wealth and income, along with some economic softness in the manufacturing sector. Colorado Springs, 65 miles south of Denver, is a governmental and commercial center that remains attractive to high technology/telecommunications firms and computer manufacturers. The city rebounded from an economic slowdown in the late 1980s and is showing healthy residential construction followed by additional retail construction. Five military installations are found here with none recommended for closure in the immediate future. However, over the
