Boston Globe 7/29/11: Moody’s warns Mass. towns of credit downgrades from Political Intelligence. Moody’s Investors Service announced late yesterday that it is reviewing credit ratings of 162 local governments in 31 states that could be affected if the federal credit rating is downgraded.

In all, a dozen Massachusetts towns and two school districts are receiving the reviews, illustrating how the looming crisis could have an immediate and deeply negative impact on municipalities that rely heavily on treasury bonds and federal funds. The communities that Moody’s has promised to review are: Acton, Bedford, Belmont, Brookline, Concord, Dover, Hingham, Lexington, Newton, Wayland, Wellesley, and Weston. In addition, the Concord-Carlisle Regional School District and the Lincoln-Sudbury Regional School District are receiving reviews.