AIDS Activists Picket Outside Mayor's Reception

CHICAGO—Disappointed with the mayor's proposed 2004 budget, AIDS advocates picketed outside the Chicago Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame's 13th annual ceremony at the Chicago Cultural Center. Several hundred people attended the event, which is hosted by the mayor.

Mayor Daley's proposed 2004 budget includes only a $100,000 increase in city funding for HIV prevention. Local community groups, AIDS advocates, and a majority of City Council had requested a $1 million increase in HIV prevention funding.

The mayor proposed a total of $3.7 million for HIV prevention programs, which is less than the city spent on HIV prevention in 1997. From 1997 to 2003, AIDS cases have increased 32% while city funding for HIV prevention has decreased by 8%.

AIDS advocates began picketing last week in front of City Hall only hours after the mayor's budget address. They also plan to picket next week during City Council's Budget Committee hearings.

Fourteen aldermen have already indicated that they will sponsor a budget amendment to increase the 2004 appropriation for HIV prevention by $1 million. The amendment's current sponsors include Manuel Flores (1st Ward), Toni Preckwinkle (4th Ward), Leslie Hairston (5th Ward), Frank Olivo (13th Ward), Arenda Troutman (20th Ward), Walter Burnett, Jr. (27th Ward), Ed Smith (28th Ward), Carrie Austin (34th Ward), Rey Colón (35th Ward), Patrick O'Connor (40th Ward), Tom Tunney (44th Ward), Helen Shiller (46th Ward), Mary Ann Smith (48th Ward), and Joe Moore (49th Ward).

One of the amendment's lead sponsors, Alderman Tunney, urged support for a $1 million increase: "This disease is not going away, and we cannot afford to act like it is. If we are to have any hope of stopping HIV, we must significantly increase funding for prevention."

AIDS advocates noted that the increasing number of HIV/AIDS cases, which disproportionately affects people of color and men who have sex with men, warrants increased attention to HIV prevention. The City's reported number of AIDS cases has increased from 15,441 to 20,480 since 1997. For the first time, reported AIDS cases in Chicago exceeded the 20,000 mark. More than 11,000 people in Chicago have died of AIDS, and an estimated 22,000 are currently living with HIV/AIDS.

People of color, who account for approximately 69% of the City's population, represent 81% of recently diagnosed adult AIDS cases and 77% of recently diagnosed HIV cases. African Americans alone account for 65% of recently diagnosed adult AIDS cases and 61% of recently diagnosed adult HIV cases. Gay men continue to be hard hit, with male-to-male sexual contact remaining the number one mode of transmission.

Established in 1985 to provide central leadership in the fight against the epidemic, the AIDS Foundation of Chicago (AFC) promotes sound HIV/AIDS public policy, funds HIV/AIDS prevention and care projects, and through its Service Providers Council, helps to coordinate the delivery of essential HIV/AIDS services.

City funding campaign