The Bank of North Dakota, currently the only state-owned U.S. bank has helped North Dakota escape the budgetary disasters and recession facing other states. In 2009, North Dakota sported the largest budget surplus it ever had.
The Bank of North Dakota provides affordable, low interest credit for business expansion, new businesses and students, and helped North Dakota sidestep the credit crisis altogether.
In the last ten years, the BND has returned more than USD300 million to the state’s fund. North Dakota is able to consistently post a budget surplus.
### Public banks don’t speculate on high risk “financial products.” They don’t pay outrageous salaries and bonuses to their management, who are salaried civil servants. The profits of the bank are all returned to the only shareholder - the people. ###
Washington, Illinois, Virginia, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Maryland, Florida, Michigan, Oregon, California and other states are now trying to do likewise.