These state and local government fines and fees have been rising in both frequency and amount. Faced with the need to raise revenue, governments have increased fines and fees, introduced new ones, and intensified collection efforts. Aggressive collection measures available to state and local governments include suspending drivers’ licenses and excluding debtors from public employment. Furthermore, these debts fall disproportionally on low-income and minority communities, often resulting in an inability to pay for other basic needs and necessities.
Tackling a challenge as systemic and burdensome government fines and fees requires us to obtain fully informed, on-the-ground understanding of how it impacts real people in real American cities. While solutions should be aimed at state and local governments, nonprofits and community organizations also play a key role in supporting those who are struggling with fines and fees, and advocating for change. Anne Stuhldreher, Senior Fellow for the Aspen Institute Financial Security Program and Director of the San Francisco Financial Justice Project recently interviewed Rosazlia Grillier, a member of the Illinois POWER-PAC COFI (http://www.cofionline.org/), a Chicago-based nonprofit that organizes low-income parents of color to advocate for change around issues affecting families. To learn more visit AspenEPIC.org (http://www.aspenepic.org/).
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