San Francisco Board of Supervisors Gives Preliminary Approval to Budget That Allocates Additional $1M for HIV/AIDS Programs
The San Francisco Board of Supervisors on Tuesday voted unanimously to give preliminary approval to the fiscal year 2005-2006 city budget, which includes additional funding for HIV/AIDS programs and restored funding for public health initiatives, the San Francisco Chronicle reports (Gordon, San Francisco Chronicle, 7/20). After last-minute talks with Mayor Gavin Newsom (D), the board earlier this week allocated an additional $1 million for HIV/AIDS-related services in the city (Stanley, San Francisco Examiner, 7/18). The preliminary budget would provide $58.5 million in HIV/AIDS funding, which is about $3 million less than FY 2004-2005. These budget totals do not reflect spending on housing for HIV-positive individuals. The FY 2005-2006 budget includes $1.5 million in funding for HIV/AIDS services originally slated to be removed as part of a $25 million budget cut proposed by the San Francisco Department of Public Health in March. However, Newsom restored the money last month following public objections and ongoing testimony about the need for more AIDS funding. The city has lost millions of dollars in federal funding in the past two years (Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report, 6/21). The board's budget would restore a total of $23 million in planned cuts that Newsom proposed in his $5.3 billion spending and revenue plan and provide a balanced budget after city officials eliminated a projected $116 million deficit. Newsom said he is pleased with the board's changes, particularly the restored funding for public health programs, and said the budget addresses the city's most urgent needs without increasing the projected budget shortfall. A final board vote on the city budget is scheduled for next week (San Francisco Chronicle, 7/20).
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