By Dennis Groenenboom, Executive Director of Iowa Legal Aid.

Access to the justice system for low-income Iowans is more at risk than it has been in over 25 years.  Funding cuts from many sources means the promise of “equal justice under law” is in doubt for thousands of Iowans.

Iowa Legal Aid is a private not-for-profit Iowa corporation.  Funding from governmental sources, contracts and many other sources is being cut.

• Federal funding from the Legal Services Corporation (LSC) is down by more than $290,000. This is a 10.8 percent cut. Money from LSC for programs around the country is based on how many people who live in poverty in each state. The 2000 Census showed other states had greater increases than Iowa. As a result, our state gets less money. Next year, federal funds may be cut by as much as $270,000 more. This will mean federal funding would be over $560,000 less than the 2002 level.
• State funding remains over $200,000 less than the 1996 funding level of $950,000. 
• Low interest rates reduced the grant from the Interest on Lawyers Trust Account Commission. In the fiscal year which began July 1, 2003, there was a 40% cut resulting in a $216,302 reduction. IOLTA funding had already been cut by 5% the year before.
• The $250,000 grant from the Polk County Board of Supervisors was reduced to $125,000 for the year beginning July 1, 2002. It was eliminated effective July 1, 2003.

Iowa Legal Aid projects that income for 2004 will be more than $1.3 million less than the amount received by the Legal Services Corporation of Iowa and the Legal Aid Society of Polk County (which merged to form Iowa Legal Aid) in 2002. 

What does less funding mean for low-income Iowans? 

More positions will be lost and offices will be either downsized or closed.  It is projected that during 2004 Iowa Legal Aid will handle 6,000 fewer cases. This is expected to impact over 15,000 people living in the households.  Iowa’s most vulnerable citizens, including victims of domestic violence, senior citizens, children and persons who are disabled, would not get the legal help they need.

In practical terms, what it means to individual clients is:

• 2,460 individuals with family law problems, including victims of domestic violence, would not be served.
• 1,146 households with housing problems would not be assisted.
• 570 people experiencing problems obtaining disability benefits or benefits from other income maintenance programs would not be served.
• 840 individuals would not get help with consumer  problems.
• 1104 elderly persons would not be helped with health care and other problems.

Iowa Legal Aid is taking two steps to lessen the impact of these funding cuts on our clients.  The first is using new technologies are available to streamline services.  New case management software and new telephone systems allow for more efficient processing of clients.  Developments in these areas will continue.

The second step is starting an Annual Fundraising Campaign to ask for more donations from private individuals.  We are honored to have serving as chairs of the campaign former Governor Robert Ray, former Congressman Neal Smith and Des Moines attorney Elizabeth S. Kruidenier.

You can help make sure Iowa’s most vulnerable citizens continue to have access to justice.  Please donate to Iowa Legal Aid using this form (a pdf file which requires the Adobe Acrobat Reader) or share it with someone who can contribute.