The mayor loves to mention Albuquerque's bond rating because Standard & Poor's gave the city a AAA grade earlier this year.

So I figured I'd go ahead and ask the rating agency how many municipalities have a rating that high for bonds backed by gross-receipts-taxes. The answer? Not many at all.

About a dozen cities have a AAA rating for such bonds, says Horacio Aldrete-Sanchez, an analyst for Standard & Poor's.

If the mayor runs for re-election next year, I suspect the bond rating is something we'll hear a lot about. Martin Chavez obviously sees it as a feather in his cap, and given how few cities have such a rating, it's easy to understand why.

Of course, any city councilors who run will be sure to take credit for it, too.