Based on reading Mike Welch's Jan. 12 column, "Waving the Flag for Small CUs Not Smart", I think it's obvious Mike Welch doesn't care for small credit unions, nor does he know what we're about. We have $4 million in assets but we offer as many services as most of the larger credit unions. It's just costlier for us to do so. I think it would be devastating if we lost all of our small credit unions as there are many cases where the larger credit unions won't service some of the people we do. They get lost in the shuffle. I think he's wearing blinders if he thinks "Access Across America" assures service to the underserved communities that some of our community or neighborhood credit unions are serving. Some of the large credit unions are not serving the underserved, or even their own members in the manner that we've come to expect of credit unions. Many have decided that forming CUSOs for profit is the way to go as that gives them a bigger bottom line. Doesn't that sound like they should be taxed? And what about those that can no longer pad that bottom line the way they'd like, so they attempt to convert to banks? I believe there is and should always be a place for small credit unions. Either those like us that offer the services and suffer a "thin" bottom line, or the small "plain vanilla" CU that serves a group that doesn't want any more from their CU. To tax those CUs would be a shame, but then we don't make enough profit to worry about taxation. Andrea Amuso President/CEO Shamrock Foods Federal Credit Union Phoenix, Ariz.
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