While Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s decision to cut $87.5 million of the $175 million one-time education funding the legislature approved attracted significant attention and headlines, it was just one of 46 line-item vetoes totaling $200 million. This is the third in a series taking a look at some of the other vetoes beyond the budget line language and figures.
THE VETO
Dunleavy nixed $140,000 in funding for Alaska Legal Services Corporation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides free civil legal services to low-income and disadvantaged Alaskans.
WHY IT MATTERS
For low-income Alaskans, ALSC is oftentimes the only hope for equitable access to the justice system when facing complex civil legal issues like escaping an abusive partner, halting an unjustified eviction, stopping a wrongful foreclosure, or defending against a fraudulent debt collector.
In the words of former Alaska Supreme Court Justice Dana Fabe, “Alaska Legal Services Corporation not only improves the lives of its clients, but helps our legal system function more effectively and brings us closer to the overarching goal of equal justice.”
ALSC’s staff attorneys and pro bono volunteer lawyers currently provide legal guidance for over 7,000 Alaskans each year. In 2022 alone, ALSC helped over 1,000 victims of domestic violence.
WHAT’S AT STAKE?
ALS operates on a combination of private, federal and state funds. But state support hasn’t kept pace with a growth in potential clients. Without accounting for inflation, ALSC gets just 57% of the state funding it did in 1984, even as the state population has grown by more than 200,000.
This isn’t the first time Dunleavy has targeted ALSC: In 2019, he moved to eliminate all state funding for the group before it was ultimately restored to the budget.
In April, ALSC executive director Nikole Nelson told the Senate Finance Committee that budget constraints force the group to turn away half of incoming cases. According to ALSC, the $140,000 in vetoed funding would have allowed them to serve more than 250 Alaskans and their families.
BOTTOM LINE
Dunleavy’s veto will leave hundreds of low-income and disadvantaged Alaskans without a voice in the civil justice system.
