August 22, 2008
STATE SLASHER
and other programs
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The Black Men’s Xchange and dozens of other groups spoke out against AIDS cuts last week |
On Wednesday Gov. David Paterson and the state legislature reached an agreement to slash $427 million additional dollars from the New York State budget—making cuts to AIDS funding, social services and other programs that will hit the neediest New Yorkers (without implementing a millionaire's tax or other more equitable solutions). For an in-development list of the cuts that most affect poor people and AIDS services, click here. For a list of all cuts, click here.
"We're outraged that once again it looks like the budget is cutting from the poor and sparing people who can afford it, people who make over a million dollars," Manuel Rivera, chairperson of the newly formed AIDS Budget Action Coalition (ABAC) said. "We're not talking about a job here and a job there. We're talking about real human lives, especially in the black and Latino community where this is an AIDS crisis." ABAC is a consumer-led group formed in response to the city and state AIDS cuts.
Although the state is patting itself on the back for not cutting more than it did, there are still troubling developments. New York's AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP) will be cut by six percent, or $1.5 million. This is the first time the state has stooped so low as to jeopardize access to AIDS medications. No changes in ADAP drug formularies are expected, nor are there to be any waiting lists for medications, but the cuts are a dangerous precedent. "Once the state starts diving into actual medication for spending cuts, they're going down a slippery slope," said terri smith-caronia, Housing Works vice president of New York Advocacy and Public Policy. ADAP was allocated $58.8 million at the beginning of this budget cycle (which began April 1), so the six percent cut will come off of $25 million that has yet to be disbursed.
Cuts to HIV testing and hep C
Advocates are still figuring out where different pots of money will be hit, since the line item cuts were unclear. HIV testing, prevention and counseling will receive at least $1 million less than this year's budget originally allocated. "The state wants to test more people and we want to test more people, but they are cutting testing and other resources that will keep people alive," smith-caronia said.
Legislative adds and member items that Paterson slated to cut by 50 percent were spared that heavy blow but still received at least six percent hits. Particularly disappointing is a $390,000 cut—fifty percent of remaining money for the year—in new money for hepatitis C."The hepatitis C funding was decimated," said Matthew Lesieur, Director of Public Policy for the New York AIDS Coalition. "It's a short-term fiscal gain for long term consequences to the community."
Other particularly troubling slashes include hits to Medicaid and health care programs, which according to the Albany Times-Union are to "lose almost $500 million over two years through tactics such as a reduction in the grants meant to cover the cost of inflation."
Despite the overwhelming support of the legislature for cutting from the poor, some elected officials deserve props for fighting for their most vulnerable constituents. Cheers to State Senators Bill Perkins (D-Manhattan/Harlem), Martin Connor (D-Brooklyn), Efrain Gonzalez (D-Bronx), Shirley Huntley (D-Queens), Ruben Diaz Sr. (D-Bronx) and Kevin Parker (D-Brooklyn) and Assembly Members Karim Camara (D-Brooklyn), Ruben Diaz Jr. (D-Bronx), Adriano Espillate (D-Bronx), Carl Heastie (D-Bronx), Rhoda Jacobs (D-Brooklyn), Hakeem Jeffries (D-Brooklyn), Jose Peralta (D-Queens), Nick Perry (D-Brooklyn), Philip Ramos (D-Brentwood) and Stephen Saladino (R- Massapequa) for voting "no" on the latest budget cuts.
Community pushback
Believe it or not, this week's cuts aren't as horrendous as previously expected. Matching funds for local jurisdictions were spared, a relief for city-funded groups such as the Injection Drug Users Health Alliance (IDUHA), which was already affected by big cuts in June. Some credit for staving off the worst reductions must go to ABAC.
The group staged a raucous protest attended by 150 people across the street from Paterson's Manhattan office last Friday. On hand were delegations from a host of community groups such as Positive Health Project, VOCAL, NYCAHN, Housing Works, GMHC, Hispanic AIDS Forum, CHAMP, Bronx AIDS Services, Harm Reduction Coalition, The Black Men's Xchange and many others, as well as high-profile civil rights lawyer and Giuliani foe Norman Siegel. Siegel told the crowd, "You have to have stamina. You have to outlast the bastards." The protest was covered by NY1 and the New York Daily News' politics blog. Also look for an article in today's New York Blade.
According to ABAC Secretary Joseph Sellman, last week's protest was just "a warm-up." He said, "Elected officials in the city and the state are going to realize that they are going to be held accountable."
Indeed no one should be resting easy. Depending on how Wall Street performs, we should brace for more late-breaking cuts as the year continues.