North New Jersey Politicians Advocate for Federal HIV/AIDS Funding in Region To Remain Separate from NYC Region
Northern New Jersey politicians -- including U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-N.J.), members of the North Jersey planning councils and the Paterson City Council -- have joined together to try to keep the region's Ryan White CARE Act HIV/AIDS funding separate from the funding provided for the New York City metropolitan area, the Bergen Herald News reports (Meagher, Bergen Herald News, 5/17). After the 2000 census, the Office of Management and Budget included Bergen, Passaic and Hudson counties in the same area as New York City -- a move that will affect legislation and funding. Local AIDS advocates are concerned that North New Jersey might lose control of about $5 million in annual federal HIV/AIDS funding, and some advocates are worried that the state might lose the money altogether to New York City. Two national HIV/AIDS advocacy groups -- the Communities Advocating Emergency AIDS Relief Coalition and AIDS Action -- have proposed earmarking North New Jersey's HIV/AIDS funding as part of New York City's share (Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report, 5/2). One of Pascrell's aides on Monday met with representatives with CAEAR and AIDS Action to discuss exempting AIDS money from the boundary changes, according to the Herald News. The Paterson City Council earlier this month voted unanimously to support efforts to keep the region autonomous for Ryan White funding, and the regional planning councils have begun a campaign for the exemption, the Herald News reports (Bergen Herald News, 5/17).
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