FDIC Federal Register Citations

From: Jim Goudge [mailto:jgoudge@broadwaybank.com]
Sent: Tuesday, September 21, 2004 5:39 PM
To: Comments
Subject: Support for Raising the Small Institution CRA Exam Eligibility.

Jim Goudge
P.O Box 17001
San Antonio, TX 78217

September 21, 2004

Robert E. Feldman
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
550 17th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20429

Dear Robert Feldman:

I greatly appreciate the opportunity to comment on the FDIC’s proposal to enlarge the number of banks that will be eligible for the small institution Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) examination. My bank’s assets total less than $1 billion and would be a direct beneficiary of the additional relief provided by reducing the CRA compliance burden. I strongly support this proposal.

Regulatory burden falls heaviest on community banks such as mine. We are drowning in regulatory red-tape. The FDIC’s proposal is a major step towards reducing the regulatory burden for community banks. While community banks will still be examined under CRA for their record of helping to meet the credit needs of their communities, this proposed revision will eliminate the most problematic and burdensome elements of the current CRA regulation for community banks.

I urge the FDIC Board to approve the proposed increase to $1 billion in the size of the institutions eligible for the small bank CRA examination. Thank you for taking my views into consideration.

Sincerely,
Jim Goudge