April 8 (Bloomberg) -- New York state and localities includingWestchester County borrowed a record $1.4 billion to coverretirement contributions this year, showing how even the wealthiestcommunities are struggling to make the payments.

The IOUs to New York’s $161 billion pension fund rose about 22percent from last year, according to budget documents and data fromComptroller Thomas DiNapoli. The programs let the governmentsspread out some obligations over as long as 12 years with interest.The state put off $937 million and municipalities $472 millionthrough two programs, one created by DiNapoli in 2010, the other byGovernor Andrew Cuomo last year.

Even as Standard & Poor’s is poised to raise the state’sgrade to its highest since 1972, rating companies have cut some NewYork City suburbs, citing the loans as a sign of imbalancedbudgets. Westchester, north of New York City, lost its top markfrom Moody’s Investors Service in November. In March, Moody’slowered Suffolk County, home to the Hamptons beach towns, to foursteps above junk.