FIGHTING FOR AIDS FUNDING

April 30, 1992

Chicago Tribune

DALEY HAS A CHANGE OF HEART; SO CITY AIDS BUDGET WILL SOAR

Jean Latz Griffin and Andrew Fegelman.

Dennis Lenk, an AIDS activist, was leaning against a wall in City Hall on Wednesday, relishing a just-finished City Council meeting in which thedecision had been made to triple the amount of local funds that Chicago willspend in 1992 to fight the disease.

Just then, Mayor Richard Daley walked out of the council meeting, stillwearing one of the red ribbons that were handed out by activists to symbolize the need to remember and care for people with AIDS.

``Mr. Mayor, thank you,`` Lenk said. ``Thank you very much.``

Daley turned, waved at Lenk, gave a small smile and salute and said,
``You`re welcome.``

The exchange, a response to Daley`s decision to support a $2.5 million increase in local AIDS spending, was a major departure from the catcalls and jeers that Daley has been receiving from gay and AIDS activists for the past several months.

Daley had been saying since January that the city didn`t have the extra money, but rumors that he had dropped his opposition had been circulating for weeks.

Some said he relented because the city will face lower than expected interest rates. Others said the anger of protesters, especially when Daley walked in a march against gay-bashing earlier this month, changed his mind.

But most believed that the mayor simply counted heads-more than 26 aldermen had pledged to vote for the resolution-and decided to make the idea his own rather than give in to it.

Ald. Edward Burke (14th) made Daley`s change of heart official when he announced that a resolution by Ald. Helen Shiller (46th) calling for the increase would be sent to a joint meeting of the Health and Budget Committee for action.

``This will be done with the clear understanding that we will . . . come up with $2.5 million,`` Burke said. ``It will be in the form of an ordinance and will result in the identification and appropriation of $2.5 million for the battle against AIDS.``

But mid-afternoon the mayor`s press office appeared to back-pedal slightly, saying the administration would only ``do its best`` to find the money. But then, when presented with Burke`s statement, the press office agreed that the entire $2.5 million would be allocated.

The city will spend $11.3 million in 1992 on AIDS, including $3.6 million in local funds.

Also on Wednesday, Daley announced the creation of a new position within the Chicago Department of Health to coordinate all AIDS activities for the city.

Judith Johns, former executive director of Howard Brown Memorial Clinic, will become the assistant commissioner for HIV/AIDS Policies and Programs on May 18 at a salary of $70,000, a cut of $10,000 from her salary at Howard Brown.

As the head of a large provider of AIDS services, Johns was one of the voices calling for the increase of $2.5 million.

Also on Wednesday, Cook County Board President Richard Phelan announced the creation of an AIDS Center for Excellence at Cook County Hospital, to be led by Dr. Renslow Sherer, director of the hospital`s AIDS prevention services program.

The center will coordinate AIDS services at Cook County, Oak Forest and Provident Hospitals with those at eight neighborhood clinics and Cook County Jail.

The eight centers are Bethel Wholistic Health Center, Circle Family Care, Erie Family Health Center, KOMED Health Center, Lawndale Christian Health Center, New City Health Center, Chicago Health Outreach and Winfield/Moody Health Center.

Copyright 1991 Chicago Tribune Company