Metro Atlanta
Metro Atlanta

DeKalb County credit rating improves

DeKalb’s GIS Department has earned a national wward for its web-mapping platform that aims to improve county response times.
DeKalb’s GIS Department has earned a national wward for its web-mapping platform that aims to improve county response times.
By
July 24, 2018

Two credit rating companies have updated their outlook on DeKalb County’s ability to pay back its debts from stable to positive, the county announced.

Moody's Investors Service gave DeKalb the highest rating possible for short-term municipal bonds, the county said in a news release. Fitch Ratings also made note that improved budget management and an increase in rainy-day funds warranted a more positive outlook on the county's finances.

VIDEO: In other DeKalb news

DeKalb County School said it hopes to save parents a lot of time and get students ready to learn.

“The improved outlook shows that DeKalb is getting its fiscal house in order,” DeKalb CEO Michael Thurmond in the news release. “Our efforts to eliminate deficit spending, rebuild cash revenues and reduce the burden on county taxpayers are important steps to support long-term economic growth in DeKalb.”

About the Author

Tia Mitchell is the AJC’s Washington Bureau Chief and a co-host of the "Politically Georgia" podcast. She writes about Georgia’s congressional delegation, campaigns, elections and the impact that decisions made in D.C. have on residents of the Peach State.

Follow Tia Mitchell on facebookFollow Tia Mitchell on twitter
More Stories

Keep Reading

A man fatally shot his mother and stepfather Saturday in Powder Springs because he was tired of them and wanted to be alone, according to his arrest warrants. (Channel 2 Action News)

Credit: Channel 2 Action News

NEW DETAILS

Cobb man killed mother, stepfather after wanting to be alone, warrant says

Officers were called to the Powder Springs home for a domestic incident Saturday and found the two victims suffering from several gunshot wounds.

20m ago

Man found dead in street in SW Atlanta neighborhood, police say

Officers are investigating early Monday in the Baker Hills neighborhood.

1h ago

Cobb lottery player wins $1M as Powerball jackpot climbs to 7th largest

Grand prize in Monday night’s drawing is an estimated $875 million.

1h ago

The Latest

A man fatally shot his mother and stepfather Saturday in Powder Springs because he was tired of them and wanted to be alone, according to his arrest warrants. (Channel 2 Action News)

Credit: Channel 2 Action News

NEW DETAILS

Cobb man killed mother, stepfather after wanting to be alone, warrant says

20m ago

Cobb lottery player wins $1M as Powerball jackpot climbs to 7th largest

1h ago

Man found dead in street in SW Atlanta neighborhood, police say

1h ago

Featured

Ceudy Gutierrez reads a book to her 2-year-old son, Matias, at their home in Buford, GA, on Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025. Ceudy Gutierrez is struggling to make ends meet for herself and her three young kids following her husband’s ICE arrest earlier this fall. (Miguel Martinez/ AJC)

Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez

When ICE takes breadwinners, it takes a toll on families ... and on the economy

For immigrant families, brushes with ICE can result in financial precarity that could have implications for the broader economy.

‘I’m a bad kid,’ he told himself. How Georgia’s special ed program failed one child.

Parents find that it's easy to get into the GNETS program, but in some districts, difficult to leave.

‘A lot of blame, but not enough action’: Atlanta leaders lack path to fix jail

Stakeholders across Atlanta and Fulton County grapple with a complex web of issues that contribute to overcrowding, crumbling structure.