Moody's also upgrade St. Paul's financial outlook from "stable" to "positive."

Both agencies liked the city's response to cutbacks from the state of Minnesota, as well as its diverse employment base, strong Downtown growth, and its aggressive goal of building 5,000 housing units by the end of 2006.

The St. Paul city council is expected to approve a $19-million bond sale for various public construction projects, including park improvements and street parking.

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