Denver Receives S&P Rating Upgrade to Triple A Sunday, July 05, 2009 | 60.0° Partly Cloudy Signaling a strong endorsement of the City’s financial management practices, Standard & Poor’s (S&P) Rating Service has upgraded the General Obligation (GO) ratings for the City and County of Denver to AAA from AA+ with a stable outlook.  The credit upgrade will drive down the City of Denver’s cost of borrowing and elevate Denver into an elite group of the most credit-worthy cities in the country.   In its report, S&P cited Denver’s role as the economic center for the Colorado Front Range with a large and diverse economy and resilient per capita property market values as a primary reason for the upgrade.  Denver’s AAA rating upgrade was also due to consistently strong financial performance through the prudent management of city budgets and healthy fund balances.  The City’s willingness to proactively implement mid-year budget cuts when necessary and commitment to maintaining unrestricted general fund reserves at 15 percent were additional factors in the upgrade. “This rating upgrade is the direct benefit of tough choices we have made over the past several years to deliver balanced budgets and maintain general fund reserves, and to ultimately operate Denver city government more like a business,” said Claude Pumilia, the City of Denver’s chief financial officer.  “Our new AAA rating will lower the City’s cost of capital, a tremendous benefit in this difficult economy.” In 2009, the City plans to issue its first series of Better Denver infrastructure improvement GO bonds, which will benefit from the new rating.  Denver voters authorized the issuance of $550 million in Better Denver GO bonds in November 2007. Few cities enjoy the AAA rating from S&P: less than 5 percent of all of the cities covered by S&P carry the AAA rating.  Additionally, Denver is the only municipality in Colorado to receive the AAA rating, and one of only 18 cities in the south and west regions that include California, Arizona, Texas, Washington, and Oregon.  Other similar sized cities with AAA ratings from S&P include Seattle, Phoenix, Minneapolis, Indianapolis and Charlotte. Posted on Wednesday, September 10, 2008 Posted by AlanD  Contributed by AlanD Return

The New Zoning Code website is a way for everyone in Denver to get involved and give feedback on the code. The interactive site has many features, including blogs, video blogs, questions and answers, a public meeting schedule and general information on The New Zoning Code.

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Announcements Independence Day Means Free Parking July 3-5  Denver parking meters will be free from Friday, July 3 through Sunday, July 5, 2009. Denver meters are free on all City-recognized holidays and on Sundays.  Normal meter collections will resume on Monday, July 6. Welcome Revamped Park July 7 - A ceremonial ribbon cutting ceremony of west Denver’s newly remodeled Bear Creek Park, located at the intersection of Sheridan Boulevard and Hampden Avenue. The park has undergone an extensive renovation. Latino Rythms July 18 - The Denver Office of Cultural Affairs presents Latino Rhythms at Lincoln Park, 11th Ave. and Mariposa St. Latino Rhythms highlights Latino music, dance and heritage. This event is free and open to the public. New Public Art Bike Tour July 19 - A new Public Art Tour, via biking, allows citizens and visitors to experience some of Denver’s most architecturally stunning environments, as well as view noteworthy artworks and learn the intimate details of their creation and installation. Film on the Rocks - 10 films over 10 weeks June - Aug  Each week this summer, a classic film and band will appear at Red Rocks Amphitheatre hosted by hilarious comedians. Come out and enjoy the natural Red Rocks Amphitheatre. Tickets are only 10 dollars, parking is free, and the entertainment is top notch! 2009 Movies in the Parks June - Aug.   Free Family Fun under the Stars. Bring your lawn chairs, blankets, and picnic goodies for a fun-filled night watching a movie in one of Denver’s beautiful urban parks. Building a "Better Denver" The Better Denver Program is a comprehensive effort to invest in the ongoing maintenance and enhancement of city facilities as well as new construction. Residents can follow progress on neighborhood bond projects at the Better Denver website Free Public Art Tours-2009 Guided tours create an opportunity to venture inside venues such as the Ellie Caulkins Opera House and Colorado Convention Center and to view works at Civic Center. Learn the intimate details of their creation and installation.   More Announcements      1 2