The rating on Colorado Springs, Colo.'s GO bonds reflects the city's: Service-center appeal, Strong tax base with substantial growth in assessed property valuation, Sustained low debt levels, and Strong financial management and solid fiscal policies. Colorado Springs has a population of 341,000, is located approximately 65 miles south of Denver, and is the county seat of El Paso County. The city has a service-based economy and serves as an MSA. The city's economy experienced a downturn in the early 1990s due to a softening of the computer and defense industries. Since then, the city's economy has experienced a turnaround. High-technology companies such as Atmel Corp., a semiconductor manufacturer (2,000 employees) and Hewlett-Packard (1,400) and telecommunications companies like MCI (3,800) and
