San Francisco Board of Supervisors’ Finance Committee Reallocates Budget Funds for Public Health Projects

During some "last-minute tinkering" to San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown's (D) $5.2 billion budget, the city Board of Supervisors' Finance Committee last Thursday reallocated $15 million for certain projects, including public health programs, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. The three-member finance committee cut $27 million from the mayor's budget, and then "reallocated" approximately $15 million, including $3 million that would finance a 2% raise for doctors at San Francisco General Hospital, hepatitis C education services, a jail psychiatric program and drug and mental health programs. In addition, the committee allocated $2.4 million not included in the mayor's proposed budget for housing and homeless programs, including housing services for people with HIV/AIDS. The revised budget will be presented to the full Board of Supervisors July 16, with the first vote slated for July 23 (Gordon, San Francisco Chronicle, 6/29).