Many of the wealthiest New Yorkers pay very little in taxes. Meanwhile, our state puts the onus of funding the legal system and other government services on the backs of our poorest residents.
Across the state, courts rely on revenue from mandatory fees and fines imposed on criminal defendants and those with traffic violations. Courts charge up to $300 for every conviction, even for minor offenses. There’s no way to have these mandatory court fees excused, so those who can’t afford to pay them are forced to carry hundreds or even thousands of dollars in debt for life.
TAKE ACTION: Tell state lawmakers to stop this injustice by passing the End Predatory Court Fees Act.
Message Recipients:
Governor Kathy Hochul
Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie
Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins
Your representatives