Oakland needs a public bank!
The future Public Bank of Oakland will save our city millions of dollars in bank fees and interest charges. And it will earn millions more every year! It’s the best way to divest from Wall Street and keep our money in Oakland to benefit our community, not private banks’ shareholders. All around the country, the movement for state and municipal public banks is growing rapidly. To find out how public banking works, visit
friendsofpublicbankofoakland.org and publicbanking.org.
What’s happening now with Public Bank of Oakland?
Global Investment Company, the group doing the PBO feasibility study, has turned in their report to the City of Oakland staff and to staff in Richmond, Berkeley, and the County of Alameda, which all contributed funds for the study. The study will be presented to the Oakland City Council finance committee on September 11. We want the committee to accept the study, and recommend to the full Council that it direct staff to issue a Request for Proposals (RFP) for the business plan.
What can I do?
Call City Council–especially the finance committee members! Say that you support public banking and you want to see the business plan RFP issued as soon as possible. In this election year our voices are especially strong. When you call the councilmember who represents your district, be sure to mention you’re a constituent.
District 1: *Dan Kalb 510-238-7001
District 2: *Abel Guillén 510-238-7002
District 3: Lynette Gibson McElhaney 510-238-7003
District 4: *Annie Campbell Washington 510-238-7004
District 5: *Noel Gallo 510-238-7005
District 6: Desley Brooks 510-238-7006
District 7: Larry Reid 510-238-7007
At-large: Rebecca Kaplan 510-238-7008
*Finance committee member