Oregon Public Broadcasting

Oregon’s banks tried Wednesday to reassure Oregonians that their money is safe, despite the chilling headlines.

A state bank regulator, the Department of Consumer and Business Services, went so far as to issue a public statement reiterating that confidence.

Some consumers say newspaper reports of national bailouts and local stock losses have made them nervous.

Linda Navarro is the president of the Oregon Bankers Association.

She says Oregon is home to over 40 community-owned banks that could stand to benefit if national lenders continue to suffer

Navarro: “Banks are really a reflection of the economy in which they do business. So, as long as our economy still fares better than some parts of the country, so will our banks. But you really have to look at each bank on a case-by-case basis.”

In its statement, the state said regional banks actually saw an increase in deposits in the third quarter.

Also, two state-chartered banks will receive a small amount of money from the $750-billion federal bank bailout.