<div dir="ltr"><p style="margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0px;margin-left:0px;font:normal normal normal 12px/normal 'Helvetica Light'"> WHY BE A CHARTER COUNTY?</p>
<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0px;margin-left:0px;font:normal normal normal 12px/normal 'Helvetica Light';min-height:14px"><br></p>
<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0px;margin-left:0px;font:normal normal normal 12px/normal 'Helvetica Light'"> The fourteen charter counties in California enjoy a little more independence than the rest of the "general law" counties. The have "hem rule," which"means the right of the populace of a local area to create ... their own local governments, define its powers, describe the boundaries within which it is to exist, and prevent interference by the state government with what they have created"; however, the breadth of this power of self-government is embraced "within [the] limits laid down by the state constitution and ... state statutes."</p>
<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0px;margin-left:0px;font:normal normal normal 12px/normal 'Helvetica Light'"> In Mendocino County, we are especially interested in a charter county's right to have a public bank, as well as to set up procedures to prevent fraudulent foreclosure practices and to assure ethical investing of our county money. Why do we want a public bank? Most state legislatures know by now that the State of North Dakota is the only state in the union to avoid the ill effects of the recent recession, and the reason that North Dakota is in such good financial shape is that it has a public bank--the Bank of North Dakota. The state thus keeps its tax revenues and other sources of income within the state for use by the state in funding infrastructure development or working with local banks to increase their ability to make loans, or providing low interest student loans or emergency relief after a natural disaster, or cut debt services on loans to the county so that the loans do not cost up to 40% in interest but rather pay the interest back to the county. North Dakota recently cut property and income taxes by $400 million because it didn't need the revenue. It is surprising that 20 states, including California, are investigating opening a state bank? But Mendocino County can forge ahead and open its own Bank of Mendocino County--and keep our money local to help the local economy instead of giving it to the big banks to invest elsewhere. Why not have our own bank and save the $500,000 a year that we give to Bank of America to service our account? Let's have home rule and a public bank instead. </p>
<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0px;margin-left:0px;font:normal normal normal 12px/normal 'Helvetica Light'"> The Board of Supervisors can put the Charter on the ballot in June 2014 and we believe the people will vote in home rule and a public bank by a large majority,</p>
<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0px;margin-left:0px;font:normal normal normal 12px/normal 'Helvetica Light'">At this point, however, we would like to have input from each supervisor about what he or she thinks of the Charter and about any changes he or she thinks should be made.</p>
<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0px;margin-left:0px;font:normal normal normal 12px/normal 'Helvetica Light';min-height:14px"> </p><div><br></div></div>