The Financial Justice Project released a new issue brief, Justice is Calling, and a survey of people incarcerated in San Francisco County jails. The high costs of jail phone calls and store items are a significant financial drain on low-income families and communities of color. These high costs strain incarcerated people's connection to their families, make meaningful contact with their support networks difficult, and negatively impact their reentry.

That's why The Financial Justice Project worked with community partners and the SF Sheriff’s Office to make San Francisco the first county in the nation to put People Over Profits - making jail phone calls free and ending commissary markups.

The Office of the Treasurer & Tax Collector held a public budget hearing on February 5, 2021 at 1:00 p.m. At the hearing, staff from the Office of the Treasurer & Tax Collector shared budget priorities for the FY2020-21 & FY2021-22 budget cycle. The hearing provided an opportunity for comment from members of the public.

Click here to view the agenda, download the presentation and view a recording of the full hearing. Members of the public may also provide comment via our online comment form.

Mayor London N. Breed, the San Francisco Superior Court, and Treasurer José Cisneros today announced the launch of MyCitations—a new online tool for people struggling with traffic court debt. The launch of the tool is part of a citywide effort to alleviate the disproportionate adverse impact of fines and fees on people with low incomes and communities of color.

Traffic citations in California can exceed $400. If people cannot pay, a civil assessment of $300 can be added to people’s citations. Research from the Federal Reserve shows that about half of Americans are unable to pay an unexpected emergency expense of $400. The MyCitations tool allows people to look up their traffic citations online, answer a series of simple questions, and submit a request for a possible reduction on the amount owed based on their financial need. In addition to requesting a fine reduction, people can also use MyCitations to request a payment plan, more time to pay, or community service. Using MyCitations can also save people an in-person trip to San Francisco Traffic Court.

As COVID-19 infection rates increase in San Francisco and around the Country, Treasurer José Cisneros encourages San Franciscans to pay their property taxes online and on-time at sftreasurer.org. Paying online or by mail will protect San Franciscans from the spread of COVID-19. The first installment of property taxes is due on December 10th, 2020.

San Francisco collects more than five billion dollars annually from property taxes, and these funds go right back into the San Francisco community, funding essential services like schools, first responders and public hospitals.

“We are eight months into the COVID-19 pandemic, and with cases again on the rise, I want to remind all San Francisco taxpayers that the safest way to pay property taxes is online from the comfort of home,” said Treasurer José Cisneros. “Our online tax payment system is safe, secure and easy to use, and there is no fee if you pay by e-check. Please call 3-1-1 to get assistance with using our online system or to find another safe way to pay.”