In a Chicago Tribune op-ed, former Illinois Governor James R. Thompson and former Illinois Senate President Philip J. Rock advocate that Illinois increase funding for civil legal aid to $2 million. Thompson and Rock serve as co-chairs of the Equal Justice Illinois Campaign. They state, "Illinois faces a crisis when it comes to helping low-income families protect their legal rights. There are only the equivalent of 280 full-time legal aid lawyers in the entire state - a ratio of one legal aid lawyer for every 4,752 legal problems faced by the poor." In addition, they note that among the 10 most populous states, Illinois ranks last in funding for legal aid, appropriating slightly less than $500,000 each year. Calling the current situation, "simply unacceptable," Thompson and Rock urge the governor and the General Assembly "to protect the legal needs of Illinois residents and provide appropriate funding for legal aid." James R. Thompson & Philip J. Rock, Protecting Legal Rights of Low-Income Families, Chicago Tribune, Apr. 3, 2005, page reference unavailable. See also Legal Services E-lert of Feb. 18, 2005.