NOW’S THE TIME TO ADVOCATE FOR STATE LEGISLATIVE FUNDS TO RESTORE PATAKI AIDS CUTS:

$2.8 MILLION IN ASSEMBLY AND $1.75 MILLION IN SENATE FUNDING AT STAKE

by Michael Kink and the Staff of Housing Works

Last month, Housing Works joined with many other nonprofit groups in calling on Governor Pataki to work with legislative leaders to produce a plan to release funding for legislative initiatives. Today the Assembly passed the
agreed-upon legislation passed by the Senate last month. We’re glad this funding can now get out to the community – and we need your help to make sure some of it is used to save lives and fight AIDS.

ZAP OF THE WEEK: Call your State Assembly Member at 518-455-4100 and your State Senator at 518-455-2800 and ask them to weigh in with Assembly Speaker Silver and Senate Majority Leader Bruno to make sure "member item" funding is used to complete restoration of Governor Pataki’s AIDS cuts.

New York's important new initiative to fight AIDS in communities of color, which are hardest-hit by the epidemic, is entirely paid for with Assembly discretionary funding. And discretionary legislative funding has been used to fill cuts the Governor proposed to treatment adherence, permanency
planning and front-line community-based services for 100,000-plus New Yorkers living with AIDS and HIV.

In the legislative budget, most key HIV/AIDS programs restored at 70% of pre-cut funding, including initiatives to fight AIDS in communities of color.

About $4.6 million in discretionary funding ("member items") will be needed to complete full restoration of key AIDS programs: $2.8 million in the Assembly and $1.75 million in the Senate.

HIV/COC: The Assembly initiative to fight AIDS in communities of color was restored to $2.1 million, 70% of $3 million included in last year’s budget. ($900,000 needed for full restoration.) We’re urging the Senate to renew their $1.75 million commitment to fighting AIDS in communities of color as
well.

COMMUNITY-BASED SERVICES: Additional appropriations for MSA/CDI and CSP programs were funded at $1.0626 million each, 60% of $1.75 million included in last year’s budget. ($687,400 needed for each program for full restoration.)

Additional appropriations for "CBO contract/3rd line" groups were funded at $437,500, 70% of $625,000 included in last year’s budget. ($187,500 needed for full restoration.)

DIRECT SERVICE INITIATIVES: Permanency planning and treatment adherence programs were funded at $393,750 each, 70% of last year’s $562,000 each. ($168,250 needed for each program for full restorations). Operating Support for AIDS Housing (OSAH) was funded at $125,300, 70% of last year’s
$179,000. ($53,700 needed for full restoration.)

TOTAL "MEMBER ITEM" FUNDING NEEDED NOW TO COMPLETE AIDS RESTORATIONS:
$4,602,500 ($2,852,500 Assembly funding + $1.75 million Senate HIV COC initiative).

For more information on state budget advocacy, email Michael Kink (kink@housingworks.org) or Mark Hayes (hayes@housingworks.org) in our Albany office.