Hello Wonderful Fans of the Infirmary-

Many of you may have heard that there is a move to cut over $26 million in health care cuts (DPH) and St. James Infirmary money is part of the package.  



Programs all over the City are getting hashed and slashed. Meanwhile, the police are still spending $11 million to arrest us and Mayor Gavin Newsome spends $10 million on his PR campaign to look good doing it!



This is you opportunity to speak out! I am asking all community members and fans of health care over PR/Police campaigns to tell our supervisors and our mayor what you prioritize.  



Tomorrow is a huge mock funeral and Friday people will speak out to the supervisors who will be voting on a negative supplemental to stop the DPH cuts. See below for details:



"We just found out from the Supervisor that there will be a special hearing on the Negative Supplemental THIS FRIDAY! There is NO MEETING ON MONDAY:



Friday, December 12 at 11 AM at City Hall, room 250

Gov't Audit and Oversight Committee



It will be introduced on Tuesday, Dec. 16 at 9 AM to the Full Board, which we should make a presence at but public comment is on Friday."



MOCK FUNERAL:

"Please attend a 12:30 pm rally and march at Civic Center on Thursday

the 11th and let people in our programs know!



The mayor is moving at lightning speed to implement draconian mid-year

budget cuts, asking for over a third of the $75 million budget deficit

to come from the health dept.



Mayor Newsom is trying to balance the budget on the graves of the poor

by compromising the health and well-being of poor and homeless people.

He is attempting to "fast track" his second round of mid-year budget

cuts, while protecting the highest paid positions in city government.



He is doing so without the participation of the legislative branch,

killing off the long-standing tradition of community budget planning

in San Francisco.



Slated for slashing or closure are over $16 million in health dept.

cuts: Caduceus Outreach Services, SRO Collaborative, Mental Health

Treatment, senior programs, Substance Abuse treatment, health

initiatives in poor communities, housing and countless more.



Please join us in holding a mock funeral for these programs that are

being cut. We will hold the service on the lawn across from city

hall, and then have a procession to the mayor's office to deliver a

list of possible alternative cuts that would not jeopardize our

healthcare system and people's lives.



Brought to you by the Coalition on Homelessness. Wear black. Lunch

and tombstones will be provided. For more information call 415-346-3740."



Naomi Akers, MPH

Executive Director, St. James Infirmary

1372 Mission St.

San Francisco, CA 94103

http://stjamesinfirmary.org/