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	Vol.7, No 46, November 17, 1999
	ATM service fees OK for banks What, another fee at this blasted ATM machine? Even after a city ordinance, residents of Santa Monica will continue screaming this at Bank of America and Wells Fargo cash machines. Ken Hanson A federal judge ruled in San Francisco that the banks could charge a service fee to non-customers. The city passed a ban on these fees and last week; the banks closed access to their ATMs to non-customers. While the banks have the right to be upset with the ordinance, cutting off non-customers was a childish, immature move. The fees are excessive, though. Banks make a lot of money from the interest they generate from our savings and checking accounts.  These ATMs are there for our convenience. The city council was only attempting to look out for its citizens. Granted, telling the banks they cannot charge a fee to those who use their cash machines is downright wrong. These big banks have the right to rip off non-customers. As despicable as it may be, it is their right. The city has no authority to tell the bank who it can and cannot charge for its services. If it is truly such a burden to citizens, they will avoid those machines. Bank of America claims that it uses the money from the surcharges to offset the cost of operating the machines. It that is true, it is stupid for cutting off access to non-customers.  Knowing those fantastic banks, they would probably start over charging their regular customers.  Banks are ripping us off. But for the government to say when and where banks can charge for the services offered is a swing back towards socialism.  KenHanson is the opinion editor of the Daily Forty-Niner.		Koi head for new homes   Student cheers restaurant job   College Week begins   CSULB conference helps American-Indian students   Professor to read award-winning work Free ride for famous   ATM service fees OK for banks   LETTER TO THE EDITOR Author shares experiences of racism Ice Dogs sweep Wolves   Club hockey faces familiar opponents Fall 99 ISSUES DAILY 49ER HOMEPAGE
Forty-Niner Publications, Department of Journalism, California State University, Long Beach ©1999 All rights reserved.