A $2 million veto by Gov. Rick Scott will mean fewer attorneys to represent low-income residents through foreclosure proceedings, domestic violence hearings and consumer fraud cases, legal aid officials and a top Democrat lamented Wednesday.
A day after the governor vetoed $142 million from the budget, officials at an organization that provides legal help for low-income Floridians said Scott’s decision will mean a 25 percent reduction in the number of attorneys available for legal assistance in the coming year. A year later, the number of available attorneys will drop even further.
“It’s the worst of all worlds,” said Kent Spuhler, Florida Legal Services executive director. “We thought we had adequately explained the situation.”
A spokeswoman for Gov. Rick Scott said there was not a clear justification for the size of the appropriation or the need for recurring funds. Spokeswoman Jackie Schutz also said the program has other funding sources that it can rely during tough budget times.
“While the governor believes in the right for everyone to have representation, he doesn’t necessarily believe in funding programs with recurring funds in these economic times,” Schutz said.
Legal services groups say other sources of money aren’t adequate. Funded in part by an endowment from The Florida Bar Foundation, Florida Legal Services is seeing funding from that source dry up as investment portfolios reflect the low interest returns that other investments have suffered.
That coupled with a decrease in local governments’ ability to fund programs has put more pressure on the state.
Spuhler expects to see the number of attorneys available for referrals to drop from more than 400 to fewer than 280.
Since the Florida Access to Civil Legal Assistance Act was passed in 2002, the Legislature has made annual state appropriations to help low-income residents access state and federal benefits and provide representation for a host of other civil matters including elder abuse, child protection and immigration.
The program, championed by former state Rep. Dudley Goodlette (R-Naples) has grown from a pilot project to a statewide effort, with lawmakers in past years providing up to $2.5 million in state funds for legal assistance.
Local legal aid organizations receive funds based on grant applications, which include income limits on participants.