California Budget Committee Votes To Reduce Proposed Cuts To HIV/AIDS Programs
A joint legislative budget committee in California on Monday rejected a number of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's (R) proposals to cut funding from some state programs to address the state's $24.3 billion deficit, including a plan to cut $80.1 million from HIV/AIDS programs, the Sacramento Bee reports (Wiegand/Sanders, Sacramento Bee, 6/14). The committee voted to reduce the $80.1 million proposal, which would affect a number of HIV/AIDS education, prevention and treatment services, by roughly $50 million, to $33.5 million, according to the Los Angeles Times (Goldmacher, Los Angeles Times, 6/15).
In related news, the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors, in an effort to address the county's $25 million budget shortfall, agreed to a tentative 20 percent cut in funding for dozens of nonprofit organizations that contract with the government to provide services to children, the elderly and the poor, the San Jose Mercury News reports. Leaders in the nonprofit community contend that organizations that provide child services, mental health assistance, substance use programs and HIV treatment, would be at an even further disadvantage because they are already facing cuts in their state funding. The Board of Supervisors will conduct a final vote on the 20 percent cut next week (Alexander, San Jose Mercury News, 6/16).
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