Barr aids local banks

As a community banker, I would like to voice my support for Congressman Andy Barr. He has established himself as an effective advocate for the people in our district.

Bank of the Bluegrass &Trust Co. is a typical community bank. We take deposits from local customers and lend those dollars back to local consumers, families and businesses.

However, we struggle to keep up with all the regulations and rules from Washington. Too often, they make it harder to make loans and to invest in products and services to benefit our customers. Fortunately, Barr has been willing to support banks our size and push back against unnecessary regulation.

He introduced a bill to help the rural housing market, which was signed into law late last year. Community banks will now be able to make more mortgage loans at lower cost. This is a victory for community banks and thousands of customers throughout our state.

This story was originally published October 31, 2016 at 4:34 PM with the headline "Barr aids local banks."