2009 Proposed Chicago Budget Preserves Funding for AIDS Prevention, Housing

The AIDS Foundation of Chicago thanks Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley for safeguarding essential HIV prevention and AIDS housing services from funding reductions in his 2009 proposed city budget, which was made public today.  The overall proposal reportedly includes $469 million in spending reductions cuts and layoffs designed to balance the budget. 

“Mayor Daley sent a strong message today to City Council that HIV services must remain a funding priority for the City of Chicago,” said Mark Ishaug, President/CEO of the AIDS Foundation of Chicago.  “Given recent news of increasing cases of HIV transmission in the U.S., we can’t afford to lose any momentum in battling HIV/AIDS.  On behalf of tens of thousands of Chicagoans living with and affected by HIV/AIDS, the AIDS Foundation of Chicago applauds Mayor Daley for his steadfast leadership in the fight against AIDS.”

The Mayor proposed allocating $4.25 million for HIV prevention and $250,000 for AIDS housing, the same amounts provided in 2008. 

Proposed reductions to the Chicago Department of Public Health budget are worrisome, however, and could adversely affect the public health of the city.  AFC urges City Council to explore options to mitigate these proposed cuts without reducing funding for any other health or human service category, including substance abuse treatment services that were dramatically reduced by state funding cuts earlier this year.

The City Council will review the proposed budget over the next several weeks.  The city’s budget year begins on January 1, 2009.