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Seattle City Council to discuss opening a city-run bank

publicbankingexplainedDespite their up-in-the-clouds website imagery, members of the Seattle Public Bank Coalition are quite grounded in their ideas for Seattle to become the first major city to operate its own bank. According to the group, a city bank would generate funds for community investment and could lower the cost of capital for the city by 30-40%.

The group has even found an ally on the Seattle City Council. On Wednesday, council member Nick Licata will hold a briefing on the issue during the Finance and Culture Committee’s 2 PM meeting. Licata will then head over to the U-District to participate in an evening public forum on creating a city bank. The Washington state constitution may present a serious hurdle to public banking, but Licata says it’s not an insurmountable barrier.

Here’s how the City Council breaks down public banking:

A public bank is a state-licensed banking institution established to provide depository services to local governments, and to make loans to promote policy objectives such as affordable housing preservation and development, infrastructure investment and fostering local economic development.

The Possibilities for a Public Bank in Seattle Public Forum will take place Wednesday, December 10th, 7-9 PM, at the University of Methodist Church, 1415 NE 43rd St.

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Fritz
Fritz
9 years ago

Hahahahahahahahaha.

Oh, stop, yer killin’ me.

Can’t wait for Sawant to weigh in on this idea.

Hahahahahaha.

Tim
Tim
9 years ago

That is a good idea. I would also suggest we set up municipal company to make airplanes, cars and software.

jc
jc
9 years ago

North Dakota has operated a state-run bank since 1919. It frees farmers and businesses from the predatory wolves on Wall Street. A city-run bank could do similar here, promoting locally owned business and affordable housing. Any alternative to the banksters is all right with me.

?
?
9 years ago

sounds like a good option to get away from ignorant wells fargo

dave
dave
9 years ago

I’m open to this idea. Especially if they offer banking products to people with destroyed credit.

Cooper
Cooper
9 years ago

Loans to help establish small housing co-ops…

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[…] to build affordable apartments on the property next year. The City of Seattle, in the meantime, is looking into the creation of a municipal bank to address ongoing issues of inequity and access to capital in the […]