Bay Area Reporter - July 6, 2006
Rob Akers

Locally, several items were passed unanimously by the Board of Supervisor's Budget Committee to be added to Mayor Gavin Newsom's budget, which goes to the full board for approval on July 11.

Additions to the city budget, referred to as addbacks, included $1 million to both the Ryan White CARE Act contingency fund and to HIV/AIDS housing subsidies. Both programs are being impacted by federal budget cuts. Other addbacks include $75,000 for HIV/AIDS services for LGBTQ youth; $275,000 for HIV/AIDS services for African American men; $132,000 for STD prevention in the Castro; $108,000 for alternative medicine for people with HIV; and $20,000 towards a comprehensive AIDS housing plan.

Under public health, substance abuse and treatment addbacks, items affecting the LGBT community include reinstating funding for methamphetamine treatment to the tune of $200,000. Other budget items included $50,000 for mental health/substance abuse enhancements and $750,000 toward community partnership for LGBTQ youth.

Supervisor Bevan Dufty was instrumental in securing the funding for African American men, alternative medicine, and the STD items. Dufty has also been a big proponent of funds to fight meth abuse. Supervisor Chris Daly included the other budget additions.

The Bay Area Reporter could not reach Dufty or Daly for comment before press time.

State budget

Meanwhile, local and state officials are lauding Schwarzenegger's signing a state budget June 30 that fully funds ADAP. Other projects that were funded include a $10 million methamphetamine prevention campaign targeting several risk groups, including gay men and men who have sex with men, women with children, and youth.

The San Francisco AIDS Foundation praised the move. "In the past three years, Governor Schwarzenegger and the legislature have distinguished themselves for their great responsiveness to the state's HIV epidemic," said Dana Van Gorder, SFAF's interim director of public policy and communications. "We particularly want to thank the governor, Assemblyman John Laird in his role as Assembly Budget Chair, and the lesbian and gay caucus for assuring that the 2006-07 budget addresses major emerging needs of people living with HIV."

Laird (D-Santa Cruz), who is openly gay, has been a strong advocate for the past four years for full funding of ADAP. It also is the second consecutive year that he has successfully advocated for the $5.6 million HIV Education and Prevention augmentation to aid non-urban and rural counties.

"This is a great victory for Californians impacted by HIV/AIDS," Laird said in a statement. "I applaud the governor for recognizing the importance of these issues, particularly the meth epidemic."

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