Newtown’s  AAA Stable rating has been reaffirmed by S&P Global Ratings, previously Standard and Poor’s.  First Selectman Dan Rosenthal told the Board of Selectmen at their latest meeting that the rating was due to good planning and reflects the town’s consistent financial results.  He credited the work of Finance Director Bob Tait and Economic Development Director Crystal Preszler.  Newtown is rated higher than the nation because S&P believes Newtown can maintain better credit characteristics than the nation in a stress scenario, based on its mostly locally derived revenue base.  Newtown's Grand List grew 3.4 percent  from 2020 to 2021.  The report did suggest some concern over Newtown expecting to issue $19 million in new debt over the next two years, but S&P says it does not expect to revise its view of the town’s debt profile.