Past

As panelist we will have Tom Sell, consultant and lobbyist, who is a partner with Larry Combest in the firm Combest-Sell and Associates and David Weaver, Executive Director of the South Plains Food Bank. Panelist will present a 6-8 minute opening speech and thereafter the floor will be open to questions by citizens attending.

This forum is free open to the public.

The public is invited to Attend the free event.

Panelists will present different views about Payday Loans, after which questions will be fielded from those attending. Speakers will be Dean Pawlowic, Professor at TTU Law School and Clay Ranck, Financial Analyst at Evensky and Katz/Foldes Financial Wealth Management.

Borrowers, lenders, and opponents view payday and auto title loans very differently. Borrowers believe these convenient loans are the best alternative to delaying payment on bills, shutoff of utilities, borrowing from family or friends, or selling or pawning personal possessions. From the lenders' point of view, payday and auto title loads allow consumers with an inadequate or blemished consumer credit score to obtain small dollar loans to cope with financial shortfalls. Opponents argue that these loans take advantage of cash-strapped consumers, driving them into long term debt.

During 2014, 1.7 million Texans took out over 2.7 million new payday and auto title loans. The estimated initial cost for financing a single payment, 2-week, $500 payday loan is $127.