Public Bank Task Force to Hold First Public Forum

YOUR INPUT IS NEEDED AT THE TASK FORCE’S FIRST PUBLIC BANK FORUM, NOVEMBER 20

The nine-member Public Bank Task Force, appointed by Mayor Gonzales and the Santa Fe City Council, is halfway through its six-month assignment to research the pros and cons involved in establishing a Public Bank for Santa Fe. The Task Force is ready to share its interim report with the public and wants your input on what a public bank could achieve for our community.

It is important that as many public banking supporters as possible join us for the Task Force’s first Public Forum, Monday, November 20 from 5:30 to 8:00pm in City Council Chambers, 200 Lincoln Avenue. Please note this is not a City Council meeting.

Chair David Buchholtz will begin the meeting with an overview of the Task Force’s extensive work to date, followed by brief reports from each of the four subcommittees focused on legal issues, banking regulations, bank capitalization and governance models.

These reports will highlight challenges that have been identified and opportunities to explore, in preparation for the Task Force’s interim report to the Finance Committee of the City Council on December 4.

The majority of the forum will be devoted to questions and an open dialogue with members of the public about what the guiding purpose of public bank could be.

Key questions to consider include:

• What needs in our community do you believe a public bank could uniquely address?
• What might change or transform in Santa Fe as a result of establishing a public bank here?
• How could a public bank enhance or enable existing entities (community banks, credit unions, city staff, etc.), to be more effective in the pursuit of a thriving local economy that benefits all of our residents?
• Should a public bank provide banking services only to the city government or possibly to other government units in our community like the public schools and community college?
• What do you believe would be the value added of this financial institution?
• Your views on these and other relevant topics are very important as the Task Force prepares its interim report for the Finance Committee of the City Council, so please join us on Monday, November 20.