From: Emily Wheeler
Sent: Wed, Dec 27, 2017 4:25 pm
Subject: student debt burden: stories sought
Hi everyone,
As a volunteer with Friends of the Public Bank of Oakland, I’m researching student debt in the East Bay, and I’m hoping some of you can refer me to people who are struggling on account of their student debt burden.
As you probably know, the city of Oakland recently contracted with a consulting group (called Global Investment Company, or GIC) to carry out a study on the feasibility of chartering a public bank in Oakland or in the East Bay area. As a bank owned by the people and charged with operating for the public good, the PBO could offer refinancing of student loans with a lower interest rate and longer terms. For example, the Bank of North Dakota, the only US public bank currently in existence, is now offering student debt refinancing to ND residents at 4.78 percent interest.
In its feasibility study, GIC plans to include anecdotal evidence about the need for student debt refinancing in Oakland, Berkeley, and Richmond. We need individuals who live in these cities and are willing to share detailed information about their debt and income situation in a phone interview. Their names would not be published in the study.Please forward this message to anyone you know who may be interested and ask them to get in touch with me directly. GIC has asked for all information by January 5, so we hope to hear from loan-holders as soon as possible.
Thanks very much.
Emily
Emily Wheeler
cell: 510-725-5484
