Buffalo residents continue to voice their concerns over the potential merger between Key Bank and First Niagara.
Dozens gathered on Friday at the Larkin Building to pressure Key Bank to commit to keeping branches open on Buffalo's east and west sides. The proposed $4 billion merger would dramatically change Buffalo's banking landscape putting Key Bank and M&T Bank in control of more than eighty percent of the local market.
Federal regulators have now opened a public comment period allowing residents to weigh-in on the merger. Those gathered on Friday want to make sure that branches in their neighborhoods remain open to give them equal access to banking services.
"Not all of us are deadbeats," said Luz Felez of PUSH Buffalo. "We pay our bills. We pay our taxes and we want to be able to provide quality for the same things that have been keeping the city alive. We are part of this community. We are part of the mosaic of Buffalo. We are not the creme de la creme but we are not sour cream either."
Key Bank says it's still in the process of evaluating First Niagara's operations and how the merger would affect First Niagara's branch network.
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