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A 27 member committee appointed by Florida’s  Supreme Court Chief Justice to solve a lack of legal aid for the poor held it’s first meeting today. Only one in four low income residents is getting any help with their legal issues. James Kowalski runs legal aid in the Jacksonville area. He says the problem is getting worse. It’s an economic question of providing basic services that our citizens need, and it will get worse if we don’t solve it. So, it’s not just money though. It’s being effective at resources.”

Florida Supreme Court Chief Justice Jorge Labarga wants a broad solution. “I’m going to put these 27 very smart people in a room and we’re going to beat this around until we come up with solutions. My view is that this is a societal problem that needs to be resolved by society in general. It can’t be just the legislature writing a check.”

Funding for legal aid has plummeted in recent years because it was funded by interest earned on money lawyers hold for other people. As interest rates fell, so did the funds available. The committee also has representatives from some of Florida’s largest companies, including Publix and Disneyworld.