Among the many programs slashed by Gov. George Pataki's $1.6 billion in budget vetoes was $2 million for health and social services for lesbian and gay New Yorkers.
Last year, Pataki signed a budget which for the first time included $1 million for such programs. The grants were not made before the end of the state's fiscal year, and Pataki indicated he would include a reappropriation in this year's budget. The legislature also included $1 million in additional funding for 1998/99, for which Pataki also promised his support.
His veto of this historic legislation came just weeks before the State Department of Health's May 12th proposal deadline to begin awarding the first grants to lesbian and gay social service providers throughout the state. In Brooklyn, organizations like the Audre Lorde Project were prepared to submit grant applications in hopes of gaining a share of this historic funding.
The Legislature's inclusion of the $2 million total in this year's budget came after an intense lobbying effort on the part of the lesbian and gay community, led by Empire State Pride Agenda. In Brooklyn, eleven Assembly-members wrote letters of support for such funding to Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver: Peter Abbate, William Boyland, James Brennan, Adele Cohen, Daniel Feldman, Anthony Genovesi, Joan Millman, Clarence Norman, Felix Ortiz, Nick Perry and Darryl Towns. We thank them for their support.
Now it is time to let the Governor know how angry we are about his
despicable behavior. Call or fax him and demand that the 1998 state budget
include a $1 million reappropriation from 1997 and $1 million in new funding
for 1998 to non-HIV lesbian and gay health and human services:
Phone 518-474-8390
Fax 518-474-1513
Brooklyn Democrats Oppose Needle Exchange Ban
Brooklyn's 6 Democratic members of Congress stood firm in opposition to a recently passed House bill that would permanently outlaw the use of federal funds for community needle exchange programs.
The legislation passed 287-140 in late April, would codify current federal regulations outlawing the use of federal funds for community-based needle-exchange programs. Every leading federal scientist, the American Medical Association, the National Institutes of Health, the American Public Health Association and the Clinton Administration have determined that needle exchange programs reduce HIV infection without increasing drug use.
House Speaker Newt Gingrich placed the bill on a legislative fast-track, bypassing standard Congressional procedures to ensure quick passage.
We applaud Members of Congress Jerrold Nadler, Carolyn Maloney, Major
Owens, Charles Schumer, Ed Towns and Nydia Velazquez for voting against this
senseless measure. And in his first major AIDS vote, Republican Vito Fosella
demonstrated he will walk in the unenlightened steps of his predecessor
Susan Molinari. He voted in favor of the bill.
Slope School Board Without
Gay or Lesbian Representation
For the first time since 1993, the District #15 School Board -- covering Park Slope, Carroll Gardens, Boerum Hill, Sunset Park and Red Hook -- is without a lesbian or gay member.
At its April 29th meeting, the Board selected Tyler Hemmingway to fill the vacancy left by the departure of former School Board president Jill Harris, the borough's first openly lesbian elected official, who resigned her seat in February. Hemmingway won the unanimous support of the board over Kevin Allard-Mendolsohn, an openly gay parent who had applied for the seat. Only board member Mark Peters expressed concern about the lack of lesbian and gay representation.
Hemingway, a public school teacher, becomes the board's sole African American member.
Given the overwhelming strength of the lesbian and gay vote in the
district and the large number of lesbian and gay parents, the lack of
representation is particularly disappointing to L.I.D. However, we
appreciate the open process the board instituted to fill the vacancy and the
equal importance of African American representation on the board. We look
forward to recruiting and supporting qualified lesbian and gay candidates in
the school board elections next year.
New Brooklyn Sponsors on
Partnership, Hate Crimes Bills
We reported several months ago on two Congressional bills important to the lesbian and gay community. One introduced by Congressman Charles Schumer (HR 3081), would for the first time make hate crimes against gays and lesbians a federal crime. The other, introduced by Congressman Barney Frank (HR 2761), would make domestic partnership benefits available to federal employees.
L.I.D. urged Brooklyn representatives who were not original sponsors to sign on to both measures. We are happy to report that Reps. Carolyn Maloney and Nydia Velazquez have joined as sponsors of the Hate Crimes legislation, leaving Rep. Ed Towns as the only Brooklyn Democrat who is not sponsoring the bill.
Rep. Towns has, however, signed on as a sponsor of the domestic partnership legislation. Only Rep. Major Owens has yet to become a sponsor of this bill. Given Rep. Owen's abstention on DOMA, we are troubled by his apparent insensitivity to lesbian and gay relationships.
We will continue to seek Rep. Towns' and Owens' sponsorship of these
bills.If you live in either of their districts, call or write them with the
same request.
HIV Reporting Legislation
Gains Steam in Albany
Under the misguided and relentless leadership of Assemblywoman Nettie Mayersohn -- who led the fight for newborn HIV testing legislation last session -- mandatory HIV contact tracing and reporting legislation may be considered by the Senate and Assembly before the session ends in July.
Mayersohn has introduced a bill -- A 6629/S.4422 -- which mandates the reporting to municipal, county and state health officials the names of individuals who test positive for HIV. It also requires contact tracing for spouses and sexual partners of each reported individual.
As usual, Mayersohn is playing to the headlines instead of following sound public health policy. In the aftermath of the Nushawn Wiliams case in upstate New York, she couches her bill as protecting innocent spouses and sexual partners.
In fact, most AIDS advocates and public health official question Mayersohn's approach. While the need for expanding surveillance of HIV positive cases to improve the state's ability to track the disease, thereby enabling it to better target resources, is sound, this must happen in a context of confidentiality.
Confidentiality has been proven to be the cornerstone of sound HIV policy. Without it people are far less likely to be tested and seek early treatment. Lesbians and gay men in particular -- who have no statewide protections against job or housing discrimination -- would likely be threatened by such legislation.
In addition, current laws already permit partner notification, requiring that an HIV-infected person be counseled about the need to notify sexual and needle-sharing partners of their risk of infection. "Patient referral," when an HIV-positive person informs partners, accounts for the vast majority of partner notification. The other form is "provider referral" by a patient's physician, a public health officer or a community-based organization, upon the request of the infected individual.
Both New York State and New York City have voluntary partner notification programs providing individuals who test positive with information about the importance of disclosing their HIV status to partners; and when requested by the infected individual, these programs will directly notify partners.
Such thoughtful, sound and time tested approaches make far more sense than political solutions which have little basis in sound public health policy.
Given the Williams case, however, there is significant political
pressure being brought to bear on Assemblymembers and Senators to support
such legislation. Let your voice be heard. As of this writing, only 2
Brooklyn Assemblymembers have sponsored this misguided bill -- Dov Hikind
and Nick Perry. Let your legislators know that if they truely care about
stopping the spread of HIV, this legislation is not the answer.
In June, it's Brooklyn Pride!
In just a few weeks, Brooklyn will celebrate its second annual Brooklyn Pride festival, culminating with the Brooklyn Pride Parade and Multicultural Festival on Saturday, June 13th.
Grand marshals for the parade were recently announced and include Debra Silber, who was elected the borough's first openly lesbian judge last November. Silber, a founding member of LID, sits on the Civil Court. Other marshals include Zachary Jones, pastor of Unity Fellowship Church, and Carmen Vazquez, Director of Public Policy at the New York City Lesbian & Gay Community Services Center.
A new addition to this year's festivities is a Gay & Lesbian Film Festival at the Brooklyn Museum on June 6th, 7th and 12th. Shades of Lavender will hold its annual Street Festival on June 7th.
For more details on the month's activities, check the LID website beginning in June and click on Brooklyn Queer Events.