Public Banking Webinar with Senator Elizabeth Warren + Movement Leaders

California Public Banking Alliance co-hosted Public Banking Coast to Coast with opening remarks from Senator Elizabeth Warren! People from 39 states and several countries tuned in for a grounded conversation on how public banks can lower costs, keep dollars local, and invest in housing, small businesses, climate resilience, and community wealth.

Senator Warren set the tone clearly by reminding everyone that in a volatile federal moment, public money should serve the public.

We received an incredibly strong response of more than 130 pre-submitted and live questions from organizers, advocates, and public agencies, which says a lot about the level of curiosity and commitment to moving public banking from idea to implementation.

We’ve shared the materials below so people can keep studying them, sharing them, and putting them to work.

• Webinar recording: See the full session here and Senator Warren’s message here.
• Q&A: Link
• Resources from the event: Link

Thanks to our powerful speakers Trinity Tran, Dey Del Rio, Rei Fielder, Terri Friedline, and Linda Levy, and to our moderator, David Cobb.

And event co-hosts: New Economy Project, the University of Michigan School of Social Work, Massachusetts Public Banking, and The Democracy Collaborative.

There’s much more ahead for the public banking movement, and the momentum is now building across the country.

Harvard Law Public Banking Summit

California Public Banking Alliance is still energized from the Harvard Law School public banking summit “Conference on Public Banking for Community Development,” which brought together organizers, practitioners, and policy leaders shaping the future of public finance. CPBA Executive Director Trinity Tran and Legislative Director Sylvia Chi spoke on panels about California’s experience building the Alliance, from on-the-ground organizing to policy design and financial models.

Don Morgan, CEO of the Bank of North Dakota, shared insights of what more than a century of public banking can achieve. Stay tuned for the keynote recording! 

We look forward to continuing building with Massachusetts Public Banking and community members, CDFIs, credit unions, and community banks across the country.

Regional News

LOS ANGELES
Los Angeles – Spectrum News – Momentum grows as LA moves to create public bank. As LA City Councilmember Hugo Soto-Martinez puts it, “Our taxpayer dollars are paying for these projects and at the same time, saving hundreds of millions of dollars that we currently pay in interest to Wall Street banks.”

The LA County Democratic Party representing over 3 million registered Democrats endorses the LA Public Bank! In its newly passed resolution, LACDP backs a nonprofit, city-owned, tax-exempt public bank that can manage the City’s funds, work with local lenders, and finance affordable housing, green infrastructure, and community resilience so public dollars stay in our neighborhoods.

NORTH COAST
Debbie Notkin of Public Bank East Bay and Rick Girling of SF Public Bank led a California Public Banking Alliance teach-in with North Coast Progressive Alliance and The Next System Project at Cal Poly Humboldt. They presented an educational slide show on public banking basics and led engaging conversations with students and community members from Humboldt County and beyond on the  transformative potential of public banking for California communities.

SAN FRANCISCO
SF Supervisor Jackie Fielder and the SF Public Bank Coalition passed a resolution calling on the city treasurer to move forward to create a municipal green bank for San Francisco! It would start the process of figuring out how to establish what could become the country’s first municipal bank.

KQED: San Francisco Public Bank Supporters Eye 2026 Ballot Measure

48 Hills: New poll shows resounding support for public bank in San Francisco – 48 hills

Mission Local: S.F. has a plan for a public bank. One supervisor wants to act on it.

Public Banking in London

The public banking movement is going international. For our Coast to Coast webinar, Max Nichols, a fellow at the London School of Economics and a volunteer with the California Public Banking Alliance, organized a student watch party on campus. Public Bank London is on the horizon.

Hi everyone,

On behalf of the California Public Banking Alliance, New Economy Project, the University of Michigan School of Social Work, Massachusetts Public Banking, and The Democracy Collaborative, thank you for joining Public Banking: Coast to Coast webinar.

We had people tuning in from 39 states and even abroad for this powerful conversation with movement leaders from across the country. Senator Warren’s message set the tone: public banks are a practical way to lower costs, keep dollars local, and invest in the things our communities actually need.

In a moment of federal volatility, the idea is simple. Keep public money working for the public good in housing, small businesses, climate resilience, and community wealth.

We appreciated the interest and curiosity! 130 questions came in through the Q&A, and we’ve answered them below.

Webinar recording: See the full session here and Senator Warren’s message here.
Q&A: Link
Resources from the event: Link

Thank you to our panelists: Trinity Tran, Dey Del Rio, Rei Fielder, Terri Friedline, and Linda Levy, and to our moderator, David Cobb. Special thanks to Senator Elizabeth Warren for lending her voice and helping bring public banking into the national conversation.

We appreciate you being part of this growing movement. There’s much more ahead.

With gratitude,
California Public Banking Alliance, on behalf of all co-sponsoring organizations

A national conversation exploring how cities and states are moving to reclaim public money for the public good.

As the federal government cuts core funding for cities and states, people are organizing to build power and take back control of local resources, by demanding creation of public banks that are owned by the people and serve the public interest.

Join us for a powerful national conversation on the growing movement for public banking, and how cities, states, and communities are reclaiming public funds to invest in permanently affordable housing, small and worker-owned businesses, climate infrastructure, and more.

Featuring remarks by Senator Elizabeth Warren and public banking movement leaders from across the country.

Wednesday, November 19, 2025
12 PM PT / 3 PM ET
Register on Zoom: bit.ly/PBC2C

Panelists:

• Trinity Tran, Executive Director, California Public Banking Alliance
• Dr. Terri Friedline, Associate Professor, University of Michigan
• Deyanira Del Río, Executive Director, New Economy Coalition
• Rei Fielder, Steering Committee, Massachusetts Public Banking
• Linda Levy, Board Member and former CEO of Lower East Side People’s Federal Credit Union

Moderated by David Cobb, Special Advisor, The Democratic Collaborative and the California Public Banking Alliance.

Attendees are invited to submit questions for the panelists when registering via Zoom.

Sponsored by
California Public Banking Alliance · The Democracy Collaborative · University of Michigan School of Social Work · New Economy Project · Public Bank NYC · Massachusetts Public Banking

Breaking SF Public Bank: New Poll Shows 2 in 3 likely SF voters support starting a San Francisco Public Bank!

Read the story: https://www.kqed.org/news/12058853/san-francisco-public-bank-supporters-eye-2026-ballot-measure

Public Banking Launches in Fresno!

We co-hosted Fresno’s first public banking conversation with the community, alongside EPIC (End Poverty in California) and local partners: Academy of Financial Education, Central Valley Urban Institute, CVIIC (Central Valley Immigrant Integration Collaborative), and ELF (Education & Leadership Foundation).

Held at Fresno City College on September 25, the session brought together dozens of community members, renters, small business owners, and advocates for a great conversation about unfair banking practices and what a city-run public bank could look like in Fresno. People shared stories, priorities, and ideas for how local dollars could better serve local needs, from funding affordable housing and small businesses to creating a bank with democratic, accountable governance rooted in community priorities.

Read the coverage in Fresnoland: A city-owned bank? Fresno enters the chat on public banking

Earlier that day, the California Public Banking Alliance (CPBA) and the Central Valley Urban Institute presented a Public Banking 101 workshop for the Fresno City Council to explain how public banks work and their benefits for the city.

CPBA’s Executive Director Trinity Tran and Vice Chair Rick Girling also joined Central Valley Urban Institute’s Executive Director Eric Payne for the Council presentation.

Public banking flyer | Spanish version
CalAccount flyer | Spanish version

In the new year, CPBA and EPIC will co-host additional Public Banking Listening Sessions in Los Angeles and the Bay Area.

Statewide Roundup: Public Banking Updates from CPBA Locals!

EAST BAY
In early September, Friends of the Public Bank East Bay hosted a happy hour designed to bring endorsers and allies up to date on the progress of the group, and get community input on some next steps under discussion. About 50 people attended the event. It was truly amazing to spend an evening in community with our supporters and hear what was on people’s minds.

LOS ANGELES
In Los Angeles, the public banking motion cleared the Government Operations Committee in September 2025. PBLA’s Trinity Tran and Move LA’s Executive Director Eli Lipmen presented at City Hall, backed by community allies including SEIU 721, ACCE Los Angeles, Inclusive Action for the City, United Parents and Students, and PBLA members. The motion has unanimous support in Council, with nine councilmembers including Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson contributing their own discretionary dollars to move the work forward.

Upcoming Event

NORTH COAST
Join us at Cal Poly Humboldt for the Next System Teach-In on November 8 organized by David Cobb from CPBA affiliate, North Coast Progressive Alliance. A public banking workshop will be conducted by Debbie Notkin (Public Bank East Bay) and Rick Girling (SF Public Banking Coalition) to give participants ideas about how public banking can be part of building the next world that is democratic, sustainable, and just.

Trinity Tran Named 2025 Fellow with Social Justice Partners LA

CPBA’s Executive Director, Trinity Tran, joined the 2025 Fellowship Class of Social Justice Partners LA, a network of local changemakers working on equity and systems change in Los Angeles. The fellowship will help support our volunteer-driven work to make real, transformative financial change across California.

Volunteer with the California Public Banking Alliance!

Join the fight to build local public banks and a California State Bank. Let’s build a movement and a banking system that actually works for the people of California.

Volunteer with Us!

Fresno Public Banking Listening Sessions

We co-hosted Fresno’s first public banking conversation with the community, alongside EPIC (End Poverty in California) and local partners: Academy of Financial Education, Central Valley Urban Institute, CVIIC (Central Valley Immigrant Integration Collaborative), and ELF (Education & Leadership Foundation).

Held at Fresno City College on September 25, the session brought together dozens of community members, renters, small business owners, and advocates for a great conversation about unfair banking practices and what a city-run public bank could look like in Fresno. People shared stories, priorities, and ideas for how local dollars could better serve local needs, from funding affordable housing and small businesses to creating a bank with democratic, accountable governance rooted in community priorities.

Read the coverage in Fresnoland: A city-owned bank? Fresno enters the chat on public banking

Earlier that day, the California Public Banking Alliance (CPBA) and the Central Valley Urban Institute presented a Public Banking 101 workshop for the Fresno City Council to explain how public banks work and their benefits for the city.

CPBA’s Executive Director Trinity Tran and Vice Chair Rick Girling also joined Central Valley Urban Institute’s Executive Director Eric Payne for the Council presentation.

Public banking flyer | Spanish version
CalAccount flyer | Spanish version

In the new year, CPBA and EPIC will co-host additional Public Banking Listening Sessions in Los Angeles and the Bay Area.

Fresno just entered the public banking chat! And the community is driving it. From local organizers to small-business owners, folks packed the West Fresno Center to keep public dollars working for Fresno’s working families. @fresnoland has the story.

https://fresnoland.org/2025/09/29/fresno-public-bank/

Huge thanks to every community member that showed up and spoke at the listening session, and to the lead groups who coordinated the event with us: End Poverty in California, The Academy of Financial Education, The Central Valley Urban Institute, CVIIC, Education & Leadership Foundation.

Our new brief, “Public Banking in California: Learning from the Bank of North Dakota,” with the University of Michigan is out! This is the most comprehensive U.S. economic report focused on CA public banks, and the first academic, data-driven analysis to use the BND as a case study for how public banks can save money, expand affordable housing and access to capital for small businesses, and help close racial wealth gaps.

We would like to thank Terri Friedline and the University of Michigan team, Trinity Tran and Rick Girling with the California Public Banking Alliance, Erin Kilmer-Neel and the Beneficial State Foundation team, Bianca Blomquist and the Small Business Majority team, and Lydia Casmier at Demos.

Our goal with this report was to give California’s public banking movement a data-driven foundation. It provides clear, evidence-based findings that support what we as advocates have been saying for years and helps lay the groundwork for policy frameworks to establish public banks across the state.

Read it here! Public Banking in California: Learning from the Bank of North Dakota
Landing page on Poverty Solutions.

We’re excited to share that CalAccount is moving forward this year through the state budget process, and was included in the budget deal agreed to by the Governor, Senate, and Assembly, a strategic path forward made possible by the leadership of Assemblymember Avelino Valencia (D-Anaheim), Governor Newsom and his legislative staff, the Chiefs of Staff for Senate President pro Tempore McGuire and Budget Chair Wiener, Speaker Rivas, Assembly Budget Chair Gabriel, and State Treasurer Ma, along with her Chief Deputy Treasurer.

This year’s state budget provides $1 million toward implementation in the CalAccount Commission process. Once approved, CalAccount will become the nation’s first state-administered, fee-free public banking option. It builds on the groundwork laid by the California Public Banking Option Act (AB 1177), passed in 2021, and the CalAccount Blue Ribbon Commission, chaired by State Treasurer Fiona Ma, which produced the market analysis in 2024. This is another major step toward ending financial exclusion and reducing economic inequality across the state.

CalAccount will provide a safe and free public banking alternative for over 7 million unbanked and underbanked Californians, including 2.5 million households. Each year, California families lose $4.5 billion to financial fees. That’s money that should go toward rent, groceries, and bills, not bank profits. As costs rise, CalAccount provides real relief for low-wage workers and vulnerable communities, providing a practical alternative to the predatory fees and penalties of big banks.

Thank you to everyone who sent emails and letters to the Governor and budget leaders. Your support helped make this happen!

Why it matters:

• CalAccount could save underbanked households upwards of $1,000 per year.
• It’s projected to deliver over $45 million in economic stimulus in its first year alone.
• The program is designed to be cost-neutral over time, funded by user swipe fees, not taxpayer dollars.

CalAccount is an urgently needed path forward to keep more money in people’s pockets and ensure every Californian has access to basic financial services, especially as consumer financial protections are being dismantled at the federal level.

We’re proud to help lead this effort with SEIU California and the CalAccount Community Coalition, and to see California once again set the national standard for economic justice.

Read our press release here.

CalAccount Community Coalition in Sacramento!

Photos from our CalAccount Advocacy Day and training session with the CalAccount Community Coalition and California Fast Food Workers at the State Capitol and SEIU State Council in Sacramento.

CalAccount Community Coalition gathers at the Capitol Rotunda.

CalAccount Community Coalition and California Fast Food Workers Union with Assemblymember Avelino Valencia.

Sylvia Chi – California Public Banking Alliance (CPBA), Cynthia Amezcua – FreeFrom, Trinity Tran – CPBA, Rick Girling – CPBA, Anneisha Williams – California Fast Food Workers Union (CFWU), Erika Connor – CFWU at the Capitol.

heila Ainsworth with California Fast Food Workers Union – CFWU, Michael Jones – CFWU, Trinity Tran – California Public Banking Alliance, Lilian Hernandez – CFWU, Pedro Loera – CFWU, Erika Conner – CFWU, Lio Sanchez – CFWU meeting with State Legislators.

Sylvia Chi – CPBA, Michael Jones – CFWU, Erika Conner – CFWU, Sheila Ainsworth – CFWU, Pedro Loera – CFWU heading to legislative meetings.

CalAccount Advocacy Training Session with California Fast Food Workers Union at SEIU State Council.

Sarah Zimmerman, Cecille Isidro – SEIU at the CalAccount Advocacy Training.