Cities across the country have a duty to their residents to promote economic mobility. The National League of Cities launched the Cities Addressing Fines and Fees Equitably Initiative (CAFFE) to strengthen economic mobility by reducing the negative impacts of fines and fees imposed by municipalities on residents. The initiative situates municipal fines and fees—such as court costs, traffic citations, code enforcement penalties, and unpaid utility bills—as financial obligations that can escalate quickly and undermine residents’ economic mobility. So far, CAFFE has supported 16 cities across two cohorts in reducing the negative impacts of municipal fines and fees on their residents. This report shares findings from its second cohort and key learning from the group. Cities from the cohort illustrate the use of data analysis, cross-departmental and community partnerships, behavioral design strategies, and leadership engagement to reduce outstanding debt and improve program uptake. The report also highlights how unpaid fines and fees may lead to additional penalties, driver’s license suspensions, or incarceration, and describes how collection practices that do not account for ability to pay considerations can intensify financial instability.
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Key Findings:
- Pueblo, Colorado, remediated general-offense fines and fees in its municipal court, enabling residents to reduce their fine and fee debt by 50 percent.
- Montgomery, Alabama, forgave fine and fee debt for certain adjudicated convictions, and other residents received reductions in their fine and fee balances.