We commend Nashua city leaders for achieving a AAA bond rating from two of the three premier rating agencies: Standard & Poor’s and Fitch.

The AAA score is the highest possible.

“The stable outlook reflects S&P Global Ratings’ opinion of Nashua’s very strong economy, which we expect will continue to grow as the city will remain a major economic center for the state in the future,” S&P’s report on the city states.

Prior to 2017, the city had a AA+ bond rating from S&P, while on the other hand, Fitch Ratings has assigned a AAA bond rating to Nashua every year since 2010.

Furthermore, the high bond rating allowed city leaders to issue $15.4 million worth of new bonds at an interest rate of 2.85 percent. According to city officials, the planned expenditures are $7.5 million for street paving, $2.5 million for sewer maintenance, $1.2 million for roof repairs at Ledge Street Elementary School and Fairgrounds Middle School, and $2 million for six garbage trucks.

We must say, that last item gives us some pause. At $2 million for six garbage trucks, that is $333,333 per vehicle.

Collecting trash in a city of nearly 90,000 people is not cheap, we surmise.

While we congratulate Nashua city leaders for achieving the AAA bond rating, we also hope officials remember why it was S&P and Fitch scored them so well: because of their fiscal responsibility.

“Nashua’s prudent budgeting practices include conservative revenue and expenditure assumptions and consistent budget monitoring,” the S&P evaluation adds.

We ask Nashua leaders to remain judicious with taxpayers’ money, which will also help them maintain their high bond rating.