Category: California Public Banking Alliance

californiabanking

California Public Banking Alliance sees its momentum continuing

Public Banking Institute – Although LA’s Measure B did not pass, the effort generated massive awareness and support in a few brief months. The California Public Banking Alliance is now using that momentum in their work toward statewide legislation that will enable cities and regions to establish public banks.

Public Bank LA, part of CPBA, claims victory despite the ballot measure’s defeat and writes about this wider strategy in a recent CPBA press release: “Over 395,000 Angelenos voted in favor of a policy that they had likely never heard of before 2018. 43% in favor is a strong baseline measure of support that public banking advocates look forward to building upon through sustained outreach and education. … Having this [state level] legal framework in place will give L.A. and other cities a solid template to work from in setting up our banks.”

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Public Banking Proponents See Victory in Outcome of Measure B Vote

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 21, 2018

Media Contact
Sylvia Chi
info@calpba.org
415-946-4002

Public Banking Proponents See Victory in Outcome of Measure B Vote

(Los Angeles) Although Measure B, which proposed amending the Los Angeles City Charter to authorize the city to establish a municipal financial institution, was defeated on November 6, public banking advocates, united as the California Public Banking Alliance (CPBA), remain focused on advancing statewide legislation to enable localities to establish public banks.

CPBA is confident that as it continues to advocate for this enabling legislation and educate the public about public banking, more and more Californians will join the momentum currently building for public banks across the country.

Public banking: a nationwide movement
On June 29, 2018, the Los Angeles City Council responded to a rapidly growing movement in favor of public banking by placing Measure B on the ballot, making it the first referendum on public banking in the United States since the Bank of North Dakota was established in 1919. According to a map created by the Public Banking Institute, over 20 U.S. cities and states, from Washington state to Washington, D.C., are currently working toward public banks.

The Green New Deal put forward by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and other Congressional progressives proposes a public banking system as a way to finance their plan for a just transition of the U.S. economy to becoming carbon neutral. Germany’s public banking sector has been key to the country’s transition to renewable energy, providing over 70% of investments in renewables, totaling 10.3 billion euros, in 2016 alone.

From near-zero to 44% in a few months
Public Bank LA, the grassroots group spearheading the Yes on B campaign, claims victory despite the ballot measure’s defeat. As organizer Trinity Tran explains, “Council President Wesson made a bold and progressive move to place public banking on the ballots. Even with limited resources as a volunteer-run group, we committed to fight for Measure B’s success. 44 percent of the votes, in the second largest city in the nation, shows an incredible level of support given our short time frame to secure endorsements and educate voters on the benefits of public banking. Our campaign has since propelled public banking onto the national radar… We’ve gained a lot of momentum.”

Over 420,000 Angelenos voted in favor of a policy that they had likely never heard of before 2018. 44% in favor is a strong baseline measure of support that public banking advocates look forward to building upon through sustained outreach and education.

The statewide alliance
Earlier this year, Public Bank LA helped launch the California Public Banking Alliance, a coalition of local public-banking advocacy groups across the state. The Alliance aims to introduce a bill in the state legislature in the 2019 legislative session.

This enabling legislation will allow for localities to establish a system of public banks in the state and provide appropriate terms, exceptions, and constraints.

Tran said, “[Public Bank LA’s] original strategy has always been to get this bill passed first, and then push for establishing the bank. Having this legal framework in place will give L.A. and other cities a solid template to work from in setting up our banks.”

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California Public Banking Alliance is a coalition of public banking activists working towards creating socially and environmentally responsible municipal and regional banks.

http://www.californiapublicbankingalliance.org
Facebook: @californiapublicbankingalliance
Twitter: @calpba

Public Banking Proponents See Victory in Outcome of Measure B Vote Press Release

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coasttocoast

The Campaign for Public Banks, From Coast to Coast

The Next System Project – This week on the Next System Podcast David Jette from Public Bank LA and Juleon Robinson from the New Economy Project, a member of Public Bank NYC, a broad-based coalition of community, worker rights, economic justice, and environmental groups to sit down to discuss the transformative potential of public banks. These institutions aim to hold finance publicly accountable, directing credit into the real economy with the public goods prioritized over profit.

Adam Simpson: I am here today with two guests to talk about two public banking campaigns, coast to coast. David Jette is the co-founder and legislative director of Public Bank LA. David is a financial analyst and consultant with 10 years in the tech real estate and start-up sector, as well as a life-long activist and organizer. David, welcome to the program.

David Jette: Thank you for having me.

Adam Simpson: We also have with us Juleon Robinson, a program associate at the New Economy Project, where he co-produces and hosts the organization’s podcast and conducts research to support campaigns like the ongoing campaign to establish a municipal bank in New York City. Juleon, welcome to the program.

Juleon Robinson: Thanks for having me as well.

Adam Simpson: Before we get into public banks, let’s talk about the problem first with our current system. Our current financial system is dominated by enormous, powerful intuitions. It’s owned by and operated for the benefit of a handful of shareholders. What are the consequences of such a system, and in your work what motivates you to pursue reform in this sector as you do?

Juleon Robinson: I think most people are aware of the consequences of the financial system, especially at the national level. We’ve seen companies like Wells Fargo commit widespread fraud and maintain most of its business. We’ve seen the government bail out banks despite their having caused a financial crisis only 10 years ago through their reckless profiteering. And in a place like New York City that’s both home to many communities of color, many immigrant communities, we’ve seen these mega banks that routinely extract wealth from those neighborhoods. The consequences are really present for our campaign, our coalition, and all the groups that we work with. The members of the public bank in the New York City coalition work in these neighborhoods all over New York City that are reeling from predatory lending, from foreclosures, from eviction, job loss, and other problems that are really caused by Wall Street.

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future

BANKING ON THE FUTURE OF LOS ANGELES: WHY WE NEED CHARTER AMENDMENT B

Occupy – By Trinity Tran and Chris Roth. Leading the nation on progressive policies is what we do as Angelenos. From setting the boldest mass transit and electric vehicle targets in the nation to divesting the city’s funds from Wells Fargo, Los Angeles is not only the tip of the spear of the West Coast resistance to Donald Trump, but a place where some of the most enlightened measures are emerging to lead our country forward.

Why, then, should the city’s leadership to establish a public bank in Los Angeles be any different?

In his monthly column for the The Los Angeles Times, Harold Meyerson, editor-at-large of the American Prospect, penned an October 3 editorial in support of public banking (“Why Los Angeles should start a public bank”). But in a September 20 piece, the paper’s editorial board widely missed the mark (“Charter Amendment B is one of the most ill-conceived, half-baked ballot measures in years. Vote no”).

Which side should voters believe?

The editorial board came down solidly on behalf of Wall Street, offering a full-throated defense of the Big Bank status quo. But Angelenos are no longer interested in business-as-usual politics. They want to see progressive reforms in the people’s best interest — and creating a city bank run by the people of Los Angeles is the clearest example of that.

First, the problem: Los Angeles taxpayers currently pay Wall Street banks over $200 million in fees and over $1.1 billion in interest every year. The giant banks that extract wealth from Los Angeles — JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo, Bank of America, etc. — are the same ones regularly in the headlines (of the Los Angeles Times no less) reaching out-of-court settlements and paying billions in fines for perpetually defrauding the public.

Now comes the solution. Across California, municipalities are seeking to create city-managed public banks to cut ties to Wall Street much like they cut ties to the Trump administration, whether on climate, immigration or other issues. Charter Amendment B, on the ballot for Los Angeles voters in November, is another step in the direction of creating a more self-reliant, locally administered economy.

Continue reading on Occupy.com.

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Why Los Angeles should start a public bank

Los Angeles Times – By Harold Meyerson. With all that’s at stake in the midterm elections, Los Angeles voters would be forgiven for overlooking Charter Amendment B, a referendum that would amend the city charter to conform with an ordinance the City Council enacted earlier this year.

But Charter Amendment B is no municipal snoozer. It proposes the most fundamental change to our economic system that Angelenos have ever had the opportunity to vote on. The amendment would allow for the creation of a Bank of Los Angeles: a public bank to be operated by and for the city.

Currently, when L.A. collects tax revenue, that revenue does not immediately flow back out to pay city employees. Instead, the revenue is deposited into one of several mega-banks, to be withdrawn when the city needs the funds. This spring, the city’s portfolio came to $9.5 billion. We’re not talking chicken feed.

L.A. has already withdrawn its funds from Wells Fargo, whose steady stream of abusive and fraudulent practices compelled the bank to pay billions in fines in recent years. But the alternatives — the other Wall Street behemoths that brought us the 2008 crash and saddled us with the Great Recession — also have a deference to shareholders and commitment to bonuses that exceed any interest they may have for the well-being of L.A.

Last year, a group of concerned Angelenos who’d formed an advocacy organization, Public Bank LA, began talking to the City Council about establishing a municipal bank. They pointed to North Dakota, which since 1919 has had a state-owned bank that is used to make loans to businesses and farms.

Continue reading on Los Angeles Times.

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What If Banks Were Publicly Owned? In LA, This May Soon Be A Reality.

Huffington Post – By David Dayen. Voters will decide in November whether to take city money out of the hands of big banks. Trinity Tran is a powerful speaker. Addressing a rally in downtown Los Angeles for New York congressional nominee Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the 33-year-old activist and organizer thundered, “We are witnessing the emergence of a solution, from profit and greed to collective prosperity. We can empower our community from the ground up. It’s time to take our power back.”

Tran’s organization, Public Bank LA, is leading the revival of an idea that had largely been discarded until the financial crisis. In November, Los Angeles voters will have the opportunity to approve a public bank for the city. If the measure passes, it would become the first government-owned bank developed in the United States since 1919.

The term “public bank” may confuse some into thinking that Los Angeles is about to create a bunch of branch offices where residents can open a free checking account. The idea is much more ambitious. Public bank enthusiasts want to finance local improvements in housing, infrastructure, and community development by employing the money citizens already pay to state and local governments for services. To them, it’s about democratizing the financial system.

The public has yet to be brought in on this idea, until now at least. The Los Angeles vote represents the first popular referendum on public banking since the financial crisis brought the public bank idea back into the conversation. For the vote to go their way, activists will have to demystify a technical financial concept, and answer charges from critics that a city-owned bank will prove too risky and too costly for taxpayers.

The activists say they’re ready for the challenge. “Until now, activists have been fighting in the ivory towers of legislatures, and off the radar of the populace, even though it’s in their best interest,” said Phoenix Goodman, an organizer with Public Bank LA. “We have the opportunity to bring this down to the grassroots, where it belongs.”

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California Democratic Party Passes Public Banking Resolution

Medium – By Ben Hauck. On July 15th 2018, the California Democratic Party (CDP) passed a resolution supporting socially and environmentally responsible, state-chartered public banks. The state party resolution is a significant milestone for the public banking movement, as the CDP represents over 8.7 million registered Democrats.

The resolution was originally presented by Feel the Bern Democratic Club, Los Angeles with the support of public banking advocacy group Public Bank LA (PBLA). After passing unanimously through the Los Angeles County Democratic Party in April 2018, the resolution was passed during the California Democratic Party Executive Board meetings in Oakland this weekend.

Public Bank LA co-founder Trinity Tran states, “The California Democratic Party’s resolution endorsement is a significant step to elevate publicly-owned banks as a top priority issue for the mainstream. The solutions to many of the problems that stem from privately-controlled banks can be addressed through public banking. It’s a common sense approach for local-control and self-determination of our public finances.”

Los Angeles City Council President Herb Wesson and six councilmembers introduced an exploratory public banking motion in July 2017, following the City’s divestment from Wells Fargo bank. Wesson and council members took further action on June 26, 2018, unanimously passing a motion that will add a measure on the November 2018 general election ballot that would amend the city charter, removing a barrier to creating a city-owned bank. This will put the fate of public banking in the hands of Los Angeles voters.

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los angeles

A Public Bank for Los Angeles? City Council Puts It to the Voters.

Truthout – By Ellen Brown. Cities and states are seeking ways to better leverage taxpayer dollars and reinvest them in the needs of local communities. Voters in Los Angeles will be the first in the country to weigh in on a public banking mandate, after the City Council agreed on June 29th to put a measure on the November ballot that would allow the city to form its own bank. The charter for the nation’s second-largest city currently prohibits the creation of industrial or commercial enterprises by the city without voter approval. The measure, introduced by City Council President Herb Wesson, would allow the city to create a public bank, although state and federal law hurdles would still need to be cleared.

The bank is expected to save the city millions, if not billions, of dollars in Wall Street fees and interest paid to bondholders, while injecting new money into the local economy, generating jobs and expanding the tax base. It could respond to the needs of its residents by reinvesting in low-income housing, critical infrastructure projects, and clean energy, as well as serving as a depository for the cannabis industry.

The push for a publicly-owned bank comes amid ongoing concerns involving the massive amounts of cash generated by the cannabis business, which was legalized by Proposition 64 in 2016. Wesson has said that cannabis has “kind of percolated to the top” of the public bank push, “but it’s not what’s driving” it, citing affordable housing and other key issues; and that a public bank should be pursued even if it cannot be used by the cannabis industry. However, the prospect of millions of dollars in tax revenue is an obvious draw. Los Angeles is the largest cannabis market in the state, with Mayor Eric Garcetti estimating that it would bring in $30 million in taxes for the city.

Continue reading on Truthout.

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LA

Public Banking Will Be on the Ballot in L.A. this Fall

Next City – By Alejandra Molina. The Los Angeles City Council is moving forward with a proposed ballot measure that would ask voters this fall whether they want to create a publicly owned bank.

In a unanimous vote, council members on Tuesday, June 26, gave the go-ahead to begin the process of adding a measure on the November 2018 ballot that would amend city charter in order to create a city-owned bank. The city’s code currently prohibits it from entering into a “purely commercial venture,” unless it’s approved by voters.

To advocates, this move is a historic one that can set the tone for other public banking movements happening across the nation.

“The outcome will reflect the pulse of the national movement,” says Trinity Tran with the Public Bank LA campaign.

In New York City, dozens of residents and community organizers in early June gathered in front of the New York Stock Exchange to launch the Public Bank NYC Coalition, a group calling for the creation of a New York City-owned bank. Oakland and San Francisco are exploring the idea. New Jersey and Michigan are also considering setting up state-owned banks.

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divestment

Public Banking: The End Goal of the Divestment Movement

LA Progressive – By Phoenix Goodman. Something big is starting to happen in the world of activism. Grassroots campaigns are beginning to coalesce into coherent, focused missions with definable outcomes.

The Divest campaign is a classic example of how the People can have a tangible effect on society by speaking the language of the dominating classes: money.

Divestment is what it sounds like: removing public investments from corporate institutions, and repurposing them into organizations which will benefit the common good. This means leveraging the collective will through mass individual actions to force the perpetrators of corrupt and unscrupulous behavior to directly lose profits; in essence, to divest is to boycott.

Even in the world of international affairs, we hear of sanctions, which are nothing more than state actors divesting from another nation in order to conduct economic war. On the domestic front, we too face war- class war. As Warren Buffet, one of the richest individuals on earth put it, “there’s class warfare alright, but it’s my class that’s winning.” So applying this divestment strategy at the grassroots level to win very real battles in this economic war on behalf of the People is key to changing the world for the better, because it works.

At minimum, it sends a symbolic message that we are creating a culture of higher virtues and principles in which the divested institution and others like them are not welcome anymore. At best, very real systemic change can result.

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