by David Chapman
Staff Writer
Facing funding shortages, Jacksonville Area Legal Aid intends to lay off five of its almost 30 attorneys effective Jan. 1 and institute a mandatory officewide furlough on the second Friday of each month throughout 2011.
In addition to the cuts, five more attorneys voluntarily took a 20 percent salary reduction to lessen the cutbacks on their colleagues.
“Those are pretty sharp cuts,” said Executive Director Michael Figgins.
The office employs about 70 people, including the attorneys, to provide legal services to low-income people. It maintains offices in Duval, St. Johns and Clay counties and is funded through grants and by The Florida Bar Foundation through interest on trust accounts.
JALA also receives 25 percent of a $65 fine imposed by the court on people pleading guilty to felonies, misdemeanors, delinquent acts and criminal traffic acts.
Figgins said that yields around $300,000 annually, but grants are drying up and there isn’t as much accrued interest from the accounts to cover funding.
“It’s really been tough all over,” said Figgins.
He said the furloughs should save around $170,000 and the offices will be closed those days.
Figgins said this is the first time such measures have been taken and that the office staff understands the severity of the situation.
“They certainly understand,” said Figgins, “but nobody likes it.”
One of the attorneys affected by funding cuts in the Refugee Immigration Project is attempting to take matters into her own hands.
Kara Roberts, one of the two attorneys in the area for JALA,
has begun a fundraising campaign for her department, dubbed the “Save Kara Project,” via Facebook.
The immigration project helps immigrants assimilate into the country after arriving, often through no choice of their own.
Figgins said the project needs two attorneys to function and Roberts’ efforts are admirable.
“It shows you how much she really wants to be here,” he said. “And we really want her to be here.”
Figgins said that total JALA funding is about $4.5 million but needs to return to $6 million to $7 million to provide complete services.
Florida statutes consider legal aid programs like JALA a local requirement for funding with language that states: “Counties shall pay reasonable and necessary salaries, costs and expenses of the state court systems, including associated staff and expenses to meet local requirements.”
To compensate for shortfalls, officials are able to seek additional revenue streams through a fee implementation of up to $85 imposed on those guilty of such actions as the current $65 fee.
Figgins proposed an amendment to the current City ordinance that would allow $40 of the $85 to go toward JALA with the other $45 going toward retirement of courthouse debt.
During a recent workshop to discuss the measure, the idea was called a “tax on the poor” by Chief Circuit Judge Donald Moran, who also cited the need for such funds to go toward the court system, which is itself facing cuts.
Figgins, along with attorney Dan Bean, former president of The Jacksonville Bar Association, lobbied during the meeting that if the revenue stream were to be tapped, the funds should go toward JALA.
“I think there can be a compromise where JALA and the courts can stand together in support for something like this,” said Figgins of the amendment. “It’s (the fee) a penalty for a limited group of people who have broken the law.”
While Figgins believes incumbent City Council members realize the importance of JALA, the potential for high turnover during the spring elections could potentially hinder funding.
Figgins said he and staff will continue to look for additional revenue streams and apply for grants to keep the office running as smoothly as possible.
He credits the Florida Bar Foundation and The Jacksonville Bar Association for their efforts, but knows they are facing financial issues as well.
“It’s really tough for everybody,” he said. “We’re looking to the City, we’re looking for grants, we’re looking everywhere.”
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