Civil legal aid getting no increase in budget
State House News Service
Civil legal aid supporters are calling on Gov. Charlie Baker to provide more budgetary funds for legal assistance for people who can't afford it.
Civil legal aid supporters say 57,000 low-income people who are eligible for assistance are turned away each year and are calling on Gov. Charlie Baker not to veto funding from an annual state budget plan that offers no new money to address the problem.
The House and Senate this spring went on record in support of spending bills adding $2 million for civil legal aid, but a six-member conference committee on Friday wiped out that increase and the branches quickly ratified the conference's budget. The budget retreated from an array of investment initiatives, part of adjustments to a more than $700 million markdown of expected tax receipts in fiscal 2018.
Legal aid funds are distributed to 14 programs that assist people with legal issues related to "housing, employment, classroom accommodations for children with disabilities, and conflicts related to child support and custody, divorce, and domestic violence," according to the Massachusetts Legal Assistance Corporation. Eligible residents have incomes below 125 percent of the federal poverty level, or an annual income of $30,750 for a family of four.
"We are clearly disappointed by the conference committee budget, and we will continue our efforts to protect funding for civil legal aid, which provides vital legal advice and representation to low-income individuals and families across the Commonwealth, "Massachusetts Legal Assistance Corporation executive director Lonnie Powers said in a statement. "We remain committed to meeting the needs of low-income residents who need access to civil legal services, and we urge Governor Baker to approve $18 million in funding for civil legal aid when he signs the FY18 Budget."
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