Standard&Poor's Ratings Services assigned its 'AAA' rating and stable outlook to Monmouth County Improvement Authority, N.J.'s series 2015 county-guaranteed capital equipment pooled lease revenue bonds, supported by Monmouth County, and affirmed its 'AAA' rating, with a stable outlook, on the county's existing appropriation and general obligation (GO) debt. The rating reflects our opinion of the county's: Very strong economy, with access to a broad and diverse metropolitan statistical area (MSA); Very strong management, with "strong" financial management policies and practices under our Financial Management Assessment (FMA) methodology; Weak budgetary performance, with operating deficits in the general fund and at the total governmental fund level; Very strong budgetary flexibility, with an available fund balance in fiscal 2014 of 12.6%
