Each of the above mentioned public debt instruments can be further strengthened
by credit enhancement. Credit enhancement ensures that investors will
get paid even if the sponsoring government cannot meet its obligation to do
so. This further assurance results in lower cost of debt. Insured issues are a
common type of security enhancement where the issue will be paid by an
insurance company if the sponsoring government defaults. The cost of this
insurance varies based on the soundness of the project and, especially, the
credit worthiness of the sponsoring government. Since the cost of defaulting
on public debt is high in terms of the municipality’s future credit rating, governments
will tap into other revenues and general funds rather than default.
Consequently, the credit worthiness of the sponsoring government is more
important than the soundness of the project itself when determining the cost
of this insurance (Moody’s, 1995).