Spitzer's Budget Calls for $9.6 Million in Funding for Civil Legal Services; First Time Executive Budget Includes Core General Funds for Legal Aid
Monday, February 05, 2007
- Organization: Brennan Center
Eliot Spitzer, the newly elected Governor of New York, called for $9.6 million for civil legal services in his executive budget released on January 31, 2007. This is the first time ever that the Governor's budget has included core general funds to be allocated to civil legal aid.
Each year, civil justice advocates have been forced to turn to the New York Legislature for civil legal aid funding, which meant that civil legal aid organizations throughout the state have never known from year to year whether they would continue to receive state funding. The $9.6 million in the executive budget is split between $4.6 million that will be put in to the Interest on Lawyers' Accounts (IOLA) fund and $5 million for the Office of Court Administration (OCA). The budget requests that the IOLA funds be used for the delivery of legal services and be distributed through a competitive process. OCA proposes to pay for the $5 million in its budget for civil legal aid by increasing the fee for criminal history searches.
Anne Erickson, president and CEO of the Empire Justice Center, says, "The Governor's actions send a strong message that access to justice is an important part of the reforms he's working to implement, and that he meant it when he said he'd change the way things are done in Albany for the better. But, while we're pleased this step's been taken, we view it as just that: a step, albeit an important one. We need to Governor and Legislature to continue to build on this foundation."
Sources:
John Caher, Civil Legal Services Return to Executive Spending Plan, New York Law Journal, Feb. 1, 2007; Press Release, Civil Justice Leaders Praise Gov. Spitzer for Including Increased Funding for Access to Civil Justice In Executive Budget Proposal, Empire Justice Center, Feb. 1, 2007; also based on original reporting by Brennan Center staff.
Each year, civil justice advocates have been forced to turn to the New York Legislature for civil legal aid funding, which meant that civil legal aid organizations throughout the state have never known from year to year whether they would continue to receive state funding. The $9.6 million in the executive budget is split between $4.6 million that will be put in to the Interest on Lawyers' Accounts (IOLA) fund and $5 million for the Office of Court Administration (OCA). The budget requests that the IOLA funds be used for the delivery of legal services and be distributed through a competitive process. OCA proposes to pay for the $5 million in its budget for civil legal aid by increasing the fee for criminal history searches.
Anne Erickson, president and CEO of the Empire Justice Center, says, "The Governor's actions send a strong message that access to justice is an important part of the reforms he's working to implement, and that he meant it when he said he'd change the way things are done in Albany for the better. But, while we're pleased this step's been taken, we view it as just that: a step, albeit an important one. We need to Governor and Legislature to continue to build on this foundation."
Sources:
John Caher, Civil Legal Services Return to Executive Spending Plan, New York Law Journal, Feb. 1, 2007; Press Release, Civil Justice Leaders Praise Gov. Spitzer for Including Increased Funding for Access to Civil Justice In Executive Budget Proposal, Empire Justice Center, Feb. 1, 2007; also based on original reporting by Brennan Center staff.
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