Dear <<First Name>>,
"Money bail hurts when you pay it. Money bail hurts when you cannot pay it."
That’s what third-generation San Franciscan Tanea Lunsford said when she testified at a hearing held this week held by Supervisor Hillary Ronen to assess the impact of money bail on low-income San Franciscans.
In conjunction with the hearing, The Financial Justice Project released a report, entitled "Do the Math: Money Bail Doesn't Add Up for San Francisco."
In collaboration with several City and County departments, we examined the impact of San Francisco's money bail system, and the disproportionate impact it has on low-income communities and communities of color. Each year, San Franciscans spend as much as $10-15 million in nonrefundable bail fees. We also put forward recommendations for reform that we developed collaboratively with many partners.
Treasurer Cisneros announced the report in an op-ed and op-chart featured in the San Francisco Chronicle Wednesday morning. Check out the op-chart below! The hearing and report have been covered by KQED's California Report, San Francisco Chronicle, and many other TV and print news outlets.
We’re so grateful to our partners and The SF Fines and Fees Task Force for collaborating with us to advance these reforms. We are especially grateful to the San Francisco residents who testified at the hearing about the personal toll of money bail on their lives.
Together, we can advance Financial Justice in San Francisco and beyond.
Sincerely,
The Financial Justice Project
