Three steps you can take in the advocacy fight for credit unions
"Consumers would lose billions and billions of dollars if credit unions weren't in the marketplaces," Jim Nussle, president/CEO of America's Credit Unions, said during his speech at GAC this week. While policymakers know credit unions are different, they don't always know why, and they don't know the negative economic impact that a tax on credit unions would have.
Changing the credit union tax status would mean $33 billion in lost tax revenue, $266 billion in GDP reduction, and 822,000 jobs lost over the next 10 years.
This week in Washington is all about sharing the credit union difference. But there are ways you can do this back home and throughout the year.
Here are three easy ways credit unions can take action now.
1. Project Zip Code
When you run Project Zip Code, you see not just how many credit union members are in your service area but how many are in a congressional district. This number is a powerful asset to have when speaking with your representative at home and in Washington. Know just how many people you serve, but also how many are constituents.
2. Member Activation Program (MAP)
Make it easy for your members and staff to advocate for credit unions. Using Member Activation Program (MAP) allows you to set up communications for your members to send to elected officials on key advocacy issues that directly impact them, including the credit union tax status. It's not just a tax on credit unions—but on 140 million Americans who rely on credit unions.
3. Tell Congress: Don't tax my credit union!
Send a message to your own U.S. Senators and Representatives and let them know a new tax on credit unions would put your financial well-being at risk.
You can easily act here—right now!
The credit union tax status is not the only fight ahead but the first and biggest. We need the help of credit unions across the country to join us.