MLSC decries budget cut

The Micronesian Legal Services Corp., which provides free legal services to the poor, has run to the House of Representatives to lobby for a budget restoration, after finding out that its funding request has been slashed by the Executive Branch by $100,000.

MLSC directing attorney Jane Mack, in a recent letter to House Speaker Benigno R. Fitial, said that the Office of Management and Budget initially listed $186,184 budget for MLSC, an independent government program, but the governor eventually made a huge cut of $100,000.

“I understand that that the governor only requested $186,184 for our independent agency….I was unaware that the governor then deleted $100,000 from this total in his budget submission,” said Mack in an Oct. 13, 2004 letter. The governor did not explain the reason for the move.

Mack asked for the budget restoration in the run up to the conference committee meeting that will be held among House representatives and senators to resolve budget issues.

Mack pointed out that MLSC provides services to the poorest in the community. “Please consider the needs of the poorest in the community, who depend on us as their only avenue for access to justice and the judicial system,” she said.

MLSC, founded over 30 years ago, provides free legal services to indigent individuals in civil cases, including estate probate, divorce, child support, and debt cases, among others. The Office of the Public Defender represents indigents in criminal cases.

“They [indigent clients] seek our help when someone dies and they need to probate an estate, usually limited, which consists of a car or last paycheck or a family hoe. They seek our help when they have a breakdown in their family life and want divorce or need child support. They come to us when they’re being sued for debts that they can no longer afford to pay. They come to us for affidavits for food stamps and Medicaid,” Mack said.

Recently, she said, MLSC was inundated with victims of Typhoon Chaba who needed affidavits to support their claims for compensation.

“Our clients have nowhere else to go for free legal service,” she said.

MLSC consists of three attorneys, two paralegals, and two secretaries. In a typical year, MLSC handles 300 to 400 cases, averaging one every day.

“We close about the same number….We are successful for our clients,” she said.

If MLSC’s three attorneys bill clients based on a private attorney’s routine charge of $200 per hour, they would require at least $350,000 alone per year.

“Our legal services to the community are worth a million dollars a year, yet we only ask for $200,000 to keep us going because we are dedicated to helping the poorest of the poor,” she said.

MLSC’s “rock-bottom budget needs” require $423,000 representing $260,000 for personnel salary, $50,000 for medical and dental needs of staff, $24,000 for Social Security and taxes, $6,000 for professional expense, $10,000 for utilities, $5,000 for Rota and Tinian, $8,000 for computer repair and upgrade, $45,000 for administration, $10,000 for supplies.

“This is pared down to the minimum. For example, on supplies, we ask only $2,000. We recycle all paper. We buy the cheapest of everything we can find,” she said. “Please let us do our job by funding us at an adequate level,” she said.

She said $200,000 corresponds with budget requests and appropriations received in prior years, except in 2003 when it was lowered to $64,000.

“Our budget had been slashed without our knowledge and we were then too late to repair the damage. We hope to avoid similar problems this year,” she said.