The rating on Washington County, Md.'s bonds, issued for Washington County Sanitary District, reflects: * A limited economic base; * Steady tax base growth; * An adequate and improving financial position; and * Moderate, but increasing, debt. The county (population 127,000) is in the western portion of the state and borders Pennsylvania and West Virginia. Steady growth in the trade and service sectors, which comprise 24% and 22% respectively of employment, has helped offset the loss of automotive manufacturing jobs. The county has attracted new employers, including Card Establishment (600 employees), while enabling existing business to expand. This economic expansion will help offset the closure of Fort Ritchie on October 1, 1998, eliminating 2,000 military and civilian positions. Nine hundred
