LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — A new study by the National League of Cities is looking to study — and reduce — the impact of municipal fines and fees on residents' financial health.
According to a news release, the city of Las Vegas has joined the "peer-learning cohort" as part of an initiative, known as the Cities Addressing Fines and Fees Equitably initiative, or CAFFE.
"I am thrilled and deeply grateful to see the city of Las Vegas has been awarded this grant," said Ward 1 Councilman Brian Knudsen, whose office applied for the grant. "After I attended an NLC conference last year which was largely centered around fines and fees structures, it became a priority for me to take a look at our current fines and fees systems and study where improvements can be made to make them more equitable for all involved."
The first cohort of CAFFE cities, which began in 2019, brought together Aurora, Baton Rogue, Durham, Lansing, Nashville and Saint Paul. This year, Las Vegas will be joining Birmingham, Dallas, Maywood, Il., Montogomery, and St. Louis.
Participating cities will engage in peer learning opportunities, virtual and in person, to expand economic opportunities for low-to-moderate-income families through policy reforms and financial empowerment services.
Cities participating in NLC’s CAFFE initiative will also receive grant support to assess and reform policies in the court system and implement financial empowerment approaches to help residents who are in debt, as a result of municipal fines and fees.
For more information about the 2023 CAFFE initiative, go to www.nlc.org.
