FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Diana Martinez | Diana.Martinez@cityofchicago.org | (312) 597-1830
City Sticker Amnesty Month brings in $1.6 million in new revenue
CHICAGO – City Clerk Anna Valencia’s City Sticker Amnesty Month brought in $1.6 million in new revenue and helped more than 15,000 residents get in compliance with the City’s Wheel Tax.
“The success of Amnesty April is a result of government working with our communities to create results that give people a break while also generating much-needed revenue for our City,” Valencia said. “We can’t keep balancing our budget on regressive fines and fees, and we need more of these types of efforts to uplift our residents during these tough times.”
City Sticker Amnesty Month was a part of the recommendations that came out of the Fines and Fees Access Collaborative in 2018. The first Amnesty Month in October of 2019 brought in $800,000 additional revenue, which was doubled this year.
“We’re continuing the work of convening roundtables throughout the city to figure out ways to alleviate the burden of some of our City’s most regressive fines and fees,” Clerk Valencia said. “I look forward to bringing forth some actionable ideas later this year.”
“I’m glad to see how successful Amnesty Month has been in helping claim revenue owed to the city without imposing additional fines upon our constituents,” Alderperson Nicole Lee (11th Ward) said. “It’s a smart, compassionate approach. I look forward to helping build on this year’s progress and ensure the program’s success grows year after year.”
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