Title
Authorizing the Office of Financial Empowerment to apply to join the Cities and Counties for Fines and Fee Justice initiative and apply for a $50,000 capacity building grant.
Body
WHEREAS, the City of Saint Paul (the “City”) has established an Office of Financial Empowerment (the “Office”) within the Office of Financial Services; and
WHEREAS, national studies have shown that municipal fines and fees can impose a crushing burden on low-income residents and aggressive debt collection practices can further exacerbate the financial strain on low-income residents; and
WHEREAS, the City authorized the Saint Paul Public Library Debt Write-Off (RES 18-2034) program as part of the 2019 budget, signaling the importance of eliminating barriers to the use and enjoyment of the Library, and benefit the City by increasing access to Library resources for all city residents; and
WHEREAS, the Office furthered advanced its fines and fees justice strategies by being selected by the National League of Cities (“NLC”) Institute for Youth, Education and Families to participate in Cities Addressing Fines and Fees Equitably (RES 19-635); and
WHEREAS, the Cities and Counties for Fines and Fee Justice Initiative (“Initiative”) was launched by PolicyLink, Fines and Fees Justice Center, and the Financial Justice Project at the City and County of San Francisco and is seeking applications from municipalities; and
WHEREAS, the City has an interest to analyze other financial barriers that residents of Saint Paul may be facing as a result of additional municipal fines and fees; and
WHEREAS, the Initiative serves to support localities that want to assess and reform fines, fees, tickets, and financial penalties that often have an adverse and disproportionate impact on low-income people and people of color and who are looking for innovators in city and county government who want to take a leadership role in advancing fair and just policies to champion racial equity and smart governme...
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