Fines and Fees Task Force Meeting Minutes November 16, 2016

Minutes
Fines and Fees Task Force Meeting
November 16, 2016, 3:00-5:00pm
City Hall, Room 278

Attendees:

Task Force Members Present:

Anne Stuhldreher (SF Office of the Treasurer & Tax Collector), Dion Libutti (Community Housing Partnership), James Whelly (Human Services Agency), Warren Hill (Human Services Agency), Sheryl Myers (Child Support Services), Kendra Amick (Bay Area Legal Aid), Tara Anderson (District Attorney’s Office), Carmen Aguirre (Public Defender’s Office), Scott Nelson (Coalition on Homelessness), Jad Keileh (Municipal Transportation Agency),Ruth Sappelt (Office of Economic and Workforce Development), Elisa Della Piana (Lawyer’s Committee for Civil Rights), Lee Ann Hudson (Adult Probation Department)

Members of the Public: Mark Culkins (Superior Court), Tanea Lunsford (Office of the Treasurer & Tax Collector), Amanda Fried (Office of the Treasurer & Tax Collector), Jeff Smejkal (Office of the Treasurer & Tax Collector), Matthew Drazba (Office of the Treasurer & Tax Collector), Robert Weber, Asher Waite-Jones (Legal Services of Children), Michelle Ghafer (Lawyer’s Committee for Civil Rights), Tara Agnese (San Francisco Adult Probation Department)

1. Agenda Review/Approval

Anne reviewed packet and background materials. The agenda was approved by Task Force Members.

2. Group Agreements

Tanea reiterated Group Agreements. Can add to them, no one added.

3. Presentation by San Francisco Office of the Controller, Michelle Allersma

Michelle Allersma explained the role of the Controller’s Office in the process of fee-setting.

4. Presentation by Rourke O’Brien, Assistant Professor at University of Wisconsin at Madison

Rourke provided the 2015 data for fines and forfeitures for counties in California, provided comparable data with counties with a similar population to San Francisco.

5. Group Discussion

The Task Force discussed the fines, fees, and financial penalty criteria for possible reform and a framework for equity assessment.

6. Moving Forward

The Task Force members participated in an exercise to shape future meetings, evaluated areas of interest and best ways to allot time to address concerns in fines and fees reform.

7. Public Comment

The public participated intermittently throughout agenda items and discussions.

8. Closing

Each Task Force member completed a one-word check out illustrating a reflection of the meeting.

The Meeting was adjourned at 5:00pm