by Mike Sharkey
Staff Writer
Jacksonville Area Legal Aid’s 2007 budget is $4 million. Of that, the City of Jacksonville already picks up between $500,000 and $600,000. Sometime late this year, JALA may have to hit the City up for even more in an effort to avoid another year of losing money.
Michael Figgins, the executive director at JALA, has asked to meet with City Council President Michael Corrigan to discuss how both the City and JALA will handle the inevitable budget shortfall that will come late this year. JALA is a nonprofit legal aid service that handles everything from foreclosures to medical bill issues for those that can’t afford legal services.
“The Council president knows about Legal Aid and the work we do,” said Figgins, adding he will talk with Corrigan about any ideas or suggestions he may have to help JALA when the time comes.
In alerting the City to JALA’s potential needs, Figgins cited a Florida Statute enacted July 1, 2005. That statute requires Duval County to fund court-related functions including, Figgins wrote, “reasonable and necessary salaries, costs and expenses of the state courts system, including associated staff and expenses, to meet local requirements. The statute specifically states that Legal Aid programs such as JALA shall be considered a local requirement and thus entitled to have the county pay JALA’s reasonable and necessary salaries, costs and expenses.”
That shift in funding responsibilities prompted the passage of State Statute 939.185 that provides an assessment of additional court costs and charges. As a response, the City passed an ordinance that created an additional court cost of $65 to be imposed when someone pleads guilty or is found guilty of a crime. The proceeds from that fee are allocated evenly to four sources and JALA’s share of those fees is $353,000 annually. City-sponsored public service grants help generate another $150,000 to $200,000 for JALA — or about one-eighth of JALA’s budget.
Corrigan said he hasn’t met with Figgins yet, but plans to and will do as much as he and Council can to make up the difference.
“We’re partners with JALA much like we are partners with Shands,” said Corrigan. “The challenge is, we are facing revenue issues, too. We will try to do two things. One, see if we can provide some funding. Two, help promote the work they do in an effort to help find other funding sources such as the Jacksonville Bar Association. I am looking forward to meeting with Mike to see how we can leverage others in the community.
“We make up about one-eighth of their budget and that’s significant. We also need to take advantage of other sources, especially federal grants. I am happy to write letters on JALA’s behalf.”
Last year, Figgins said JALA experienced a budget shortfall of about $170,000 thanks primarily to a growing number of foreclosure cases. Those numbers are still high and Figgins said his 30-attorney staff can’t handle all of them. Overall, JALA employs about 60 people.
“Saying ‘no’ is hard to do. We can’t ask for attorney fees,” said Figgins, adding that attorney fees are often the first thing the attorneys representing the mortgage holder ask to be waived.
The Florida Bar Foundation is JALA’s biggest financial supporter, providing about 25 percent of their budget. According to Figgins, there are another 43-44 funding sources that include donations from private attorneys, fundraisers and various grants. By late summer or early fall, Figgins said he’ll have a good idea how short his budget will be. However, by then “too much of the year is gone to make it up,” he said.
Corrigan said it will be difficult to make any funding promises to JALA any time real soon.
“We can’t commit to additional funding right now, especially with what’s coming down the pike,” said Corrigan, referring to the possible property tax bill and subsequent cuts of nearly $50 million the City will have to make.
Figgins said he realizes the City is facing problems, too.
“They have their budget concerns as well as I do, but helping Legal Aid helps them,” said Figgins.