Howard County Executive Calvin Ball today announced Howard County will maintain the highest possible credit rating, AAA, from all three bond rating agencies – Fitch Ratings, Moody’s Investor Services and Standard & Poor’s.

In 2023, Howard County again ranks among the top two percent of counties nationwide to earn this vote of confidence based on a stable outlook from experts. Being one of 51 counties with this distinction among approximately 3,100 in the U.S. demonstrates that Howard County’s financial management is fiscally strong, trustworthy, and responsible.

“As the incoming Chief Administrative Officer, I am humbled to help lead such a legacy of financial excellence, stability and thoughtful planning,” said Brandee Ganz, Acting Chief Administrative Officer. “The whole team is credited with not only keeping us on a solid track but providing the insight to allow us to weather the ups and downs of pandemics and any other economic factors that arise.”

“It takes ongoing effort, a solid foundation and responsible policies to stay at this level of performance and consistently achieve top recognition from experts,” said Howard County Director of Finance Rafiu Ighile. “We do not take this affirmation for granted or underestimate how important it is to our ongoing success. I am so thankful to all the staff for their hard work and commitment to keeping us a secure investment for the future.”

To read more about the reports from each agency, visit here.