Judge Presses Santa Monica on ATM Ordinance

A federal judge demanded that the Santa Monica City Council comply with his June order that it suspend an ordinance banning banks from charging fees at automated teller machines. Bank of America and Wells Fargo have not opened their ATMs to outside customers despite U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker’s order nullifying the ordinance banning the fees. Instead of dropping the surcharges, the banks prohibited customers who do not bank with them from using their ATMs. Santa Monica voted to ban ATM surcharges last year. The legal tussle erupted after Santa Monica passed a resolution suspending the ordinance. But the banks argued another ordinance is necessary to rescind the fee ban, not simply a resolution. Walker gave the council until Nov. 2 to act.