California: $18 Million in Cuts to Jolt AIDS Care

San Francisco faces the loss of almost $8 million in federal AIDS funding in the fiscal year beginning July 1, and another $10 million the following year. Such deep cuts to Ryan White efforts and CDC prevention programming would threaten care, say city officials and service providers. San Francisco received $41.8 million from the two federal programs through the current fiscal year ending June 30.

"I don't think it's an exaggeration to say that restoring these funds is a matter of life and death," said Mike Smith, head of the AIDS Emergency Fund and president of the HIV/AIDS Providers Network in San Francisco. He and others are lobbying the city for financial help with the cuts. Three city supervisors from the LGBT community -- Scott Wiener, David Campos, and Christina Olague -- also have made it a priority.