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Federal Register Publications

FDIC Federal Register Citations



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FDIC Federal Register Citations

NEVADA STATE BANK

September 17, 2004

Mr. Robert E. Feldman
Executive Secretary
Attention: Comments/Legal ESS
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
550 17th Street, NW
Washington, DC

Re: RIN #3064-AC50

Dear Mr. Feldman:

My bank, Nevada State Bank, is over $3 billion in assets so the proposal to raise the threshold for the streamlined CRA small bank examination to the $1 billion level, if adopted, will have no impact on us. However, I am a product of three small community banks, having joined the last one when it was only $100 million in assets and helped it grow to over $1 billion before being acquired by Nevada State Bank. I am a former OCC employee, having spent fifteen years in the field as a national bank examiner followed by five years in Washington as a Deputy Comptroller.

With this background I strongly support the increase in the threshold. From my regulatory background perspective, I see how the investment criteria of CRA is not especially valid when applied to small institutions in that they frequently have difficulty in finding investments originating in and benefiting their communities. From my community banker view, I know the disagreement I have with those who say the cost savings are not significant. That opinion clearly emanates from those who aren’t competing in an extremely competitive marketplace dominated by immense banks with their incredible human and financial resources, credit unions who have the unfair tax-advantaged position and DO NOT themselves comply with CRA and non-bank lenders who have no CRA obligations.

And to those who say that this increase will allow banks to “back away from their community development obligations” I would simply counter that my Father was president of a small bank in Texas for many years and he taught me the value of contributing to the community, and in those days, CRA wasn’t even a glimmer in the eye of congress. He just did it because he recognized that bankers historically have always taken a leadership role in community involvement, support and development. I think he viewed it as an unwritten obligation that came with the job. I realize that this cannot be said as true for all bankers today but I would certainly venture the guess that for the great majority of institutions you would see little change in the level of commitment they exhibit today. It would just largely occur with lessened regulatory burden and cost

We all recognize how difficult it is to reverse or moderate any law and the level of thoughtfulness, and courage, it takes to even broach such an action. Thank you to the FDIC, and especially to Chairman Powell, for your rational thought process that results in giving consideration to changing a law that, when applied on a near across-the-board basis, is inequitable for smaller institutions.

Sincerely,

William E. Martin
Chairman, President and CEO

Last Updated 10/01/2004 regs@fdic.gov

Last Updated: August 4, 2024