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Checked against the record · Pennsylvania 8th District 2026

Did Scranton go from junk bond status to an A- rating under Paige Cognetti?

Matches stated record claim. S&P rated Scranton BB, below investment grade, from 2016, then raised it step by step to investment grade in 2023 and to A- on January 12, 2026.

Paige Cognetti

Scranton's finances: credit rating

Matches stated record claim

What they say

Her campaign says Scranton went from junk bond status to an A- credit rating.

“brought our city back from junk bond status to A- credit rating”

What the record shows ·

S&P rated the city BB, below investment grade, from 2016. It raised the rating to BB+ in March 2022, to investment grade BBB- in June 2023, to BBB+ in March 2024 and to A- on January 12, 2026.

Limit: A rating is S&P's view, not a city record. S&P credits balanced budgets that did not lean on federal stimulus money, and also a county property reassessment that was not the city's doing.

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  1. Anti-Corruption Agendahttps://paigeforpa.com/anti-corruption-agenda/

    Paige For PA · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    Stock trading ban, corporate PAC money, No Budget No Pay, term limits, audits, lobbying and board bans.

    candidate statement

    For: Did Scranton go from junk bond status to an A- rating under Paige Cognetti?

  2. City of Scranton Credit Rating Jumps Two Grades, Now BBB+https://scrantonpa.gov/city-of-scranton-credit-rating-jumps-two-grades-now-bbb/

    City of Scranton · Published Mar 11, 2024 · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    City release of March 2024. Says S&P withdrew the city's BB- rating in 2011, gave a junk-level BB rating in 2016, and raised it to BB+ in March 2022. Quotes S&P's March 2024 report: management estimates 2023 closed with a $3.8 million general-fund surplus.

    official office record

    For: Did Scranton go from junk bond status to an A- rating under Paige Cognetti?

  3. S&P Global Ratings summary: Scranton, Pennsylvania; General Obligation (June 7, 2023) (document)

    S&P Global Ratings, posted by the City of Scranton · Published Jun 7, 2023 · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    Raises the city's rating to BBB- from BB+, investment grade, citing balanced operations without reliance on federal stimulus; the city used no ARPA money for operations. Records adjusted general-fund surpluses of 1 to 6 per cent in audited fiscal 2019-2021 and a preliminary 3.8 per cent surplus in 2022.

    official office record

    For: Did Scranton go from junk bond status to an A- rating under Paige Cognetti?

  4. S&P Global Ratings research update: Scranton GO rating raised to 'A-' (January 12, 2026) (document)

    S&P Global Ratings, posted by the City of Scranton · Published Jan 12, 2026 · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    Raises the rating to A- from BBB+, outlook stable. Credits the county reassessment among other things. Says results have been mostly positive since fiscal 2020; fiscal 2024 was the first deficit of five years, planned one-time spending on a FEMA flood-control project; the city estimates a $3 million surplus for 2025.

    official office record

    For: Did Scranton go from junk bond status to an A- rating under Paige Cognetti?