Connect for the Cause: Message from Carrie Birkhofer, President & CEO
Posted March 21, 2025
Dear valued member,
Bay Federal was founded by eight schoolteachers in Santa Cruz who wanted a better alternative to a profit-driven bank. They pooled their savings to lend to one another, creating a financial cooperative built on trust and service. Though we have grown, our mission remains unchanged: to serve you, our members.
As a not-for-profit, member-owned credit union, we reinvest our earnings to directly benefit you. Because we are tax-exempt, we can keep money local, supporting our community instead of sending funds to the federal government. This means lower rates, fewer fees, and essential services like affordable housing loans and free financial education. By keeping resources in our community, we help families and small businesses grow and thrive. This commitment is at the heart of the credit union "People Helping People" philosophy.
But now, Congress is looking at how to fund priorities by examining the tax policy. It is important that they don’t take away the credit union tax exemption. Taking away the tax exemption would greatly reduce the services and programs that directly support our members and keep our communities strong. That’s why we need your help to tell Congress: Don’t Tax My Credit Union.
How to Take Action (It Only Takes a Minute)
- Visit Connect for the Cause.
- Click on “Don’t Tax My Credit Union.”
- Enter your name, email, and address in the form.
- Review the message (pre-filled for you) and submit.
Why does this matter?
- Credit unions reinvest earnings locally, not to outside shareholders.
- Our presence benefits all consumers, saving Americans $234.6 billion over 10 years.
- Removing our tax status could hurt the economy, costing $33 billion in lost tax revenue and 800,000 jobs.
Banks already control over 90% of the market but continue pushing for policies that would limit credit unions’ ability to serve members. Protecting our tax-exempt status ensures credit unions remain strong for the people and communities we serve.
Please take a moment to add your voice. Click here to take action now.
Thank you for being part of the Bay Federal family. Together, we can protect credit unions and continue strengthening our community.
Sincerely,
Carrie L. Birkhofer
President & CEO
Bay Federal Credit Union
