SAN FRANCISCO (Map, News) - With more than $33 million in budget cuts proposed for The City’s Department of Public Health, a crowd packed a City Hall meeting room Tuesday, spilling into the hallway to lobby for local health services and programs on the chopping block.

With The City facing a projected $233 million budget deficit for next fiscal year, which starts July 1, Mayor Gavin Newsom asked city departments to cut budgets by 8 percent, as well as identify an additional 5 percent in contingency cuts.

The Department of Public Health, which oversees everything from San Francisco General Hospital to sex worker programs, has a target budget cut of nearly $45 million, according to staff documents.

In his report to the commission, Public Health Director Dr. Mitch Katz also outlined seven proposed midyear cuts that — if they go into effect by April 15 — would save The City $8.1 million through June 30, 2009. He also proposed 24 additional cuts that would reduce service spending by $26.5 million during the next fiscal year.

The department would still need to find an additional $11.7 million to cut to make its nearly $45 million reduction, he said.

“They are the worst cuts we’ve ever had to recommend to you,” Katz told the commission.

Included in Katz’s budget cut proposal for the next fiscal year is a 15 percent across-the-board reduction for funds that go to community programs and services, which would save the department $10.5 million, according to staff documents.

Other proposed cuts include $2.3 million from the closure of Clarendon Hall at Laguna Honda Hospital, $1.3 million from services for uninsured mentally ill patients, $3 million from HIV health services and $159,467 for Shape Up San Francisco, a city program that promotes a healthy lifestyle.

At the commission’s scheduled March 4 meeting, there will be a required hearing on the proposed midyear cuts, which include the closure of Buster’s Place, a 24-hour drop-in center for the homeless and the Worker’s Comp Clinic closure at San Francisco General Hospital.

The Public Health Department’s budget, along with other city departments, must still go through the budgetary process that begins in June when the Board of Supervisors Budget Committee begins deliberations on the proposals. By the end of July, the full board adopts a final budget.

On Tuesday, Luis Barahona, the program coordinator for the Central City SRO Collaborative, which helps tenants of SRO housing, said the agency has already received notice their funding might be cut.

“You’re talking about things that are extremely vital,” Barahona told The Examiner.

dsmith@examiner.com  

Comments from Examiner Readers

11:13 AM MST on Mon., Mar. 10, 2008 re: "Medical center faces tough choices"

Albert Franklin said:
However, when the County chooses to address the $2 billion dollars Jerry Brown bilked from them in a meaningful manner, then this should all become most academic!

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1:27 PM MST on Tue., Feb. 26, 2008 re: "New psychiatric care center to fill a need"

Examiner Reader said:
As an employee of SF General Hospital's psych dept., where none of us wear uniforms nor have lines on the floor that patients can't cross and where we train patients to take better care of themselves (including the activities of daily living such as nutrition, personal hygeine and the like), I am a bit mystified by John Nickens' comments. Has he been in a hospital in the past 20 years or so?

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8:54 AM MST on Mon., Feb. 25, 2008 re: "New psychiatric care center to fill a need"

Examiner Reader said:
I love the fact that they are turning Dore Alley (not Street) from an iconic Gay area into another crazy person magnet in the already crazy SOMA. Last year a doorman at the Powerhouse came to the defense of a patron being attacked by a nut-job housed across the street (along door alley) by another "non" profit. The police arrested the DOORMAN for gods sake, and the Powerhouse had to hold fundraisers to pay his legal expenses. Why is the City being allowed to take our great SOMA neighborhood and turn it into another Tenderloin? How sad.

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4:43 AM MST on Tue., Jan. 1, 2008 re: "Restaurant group opposes S.F. bid to reinstate health plan"

jacksmith said:
Insurance mandates are not universal health care. And politicians should stop calling it that. Nothing is Universal Health Care except "Single Payer Not For Profit Tax Supported Government Managed Health Care" (HR 676). Insurance mandates will be worse than what you have now. And what you have now is a complete, and total disgrace, and horror show. Insurance mandates will (require) you to buy insurance from the private insurance companies that have been ripping you off, and killing you by the thousands.

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1:29 AM MST on Fri., Dec. 28, 2007 re: "Health center for immigrants opens"

Examiner Reader said:
know of a guy who came here for a couple of years and got on the welfare medical roles in san francisco and had major surgery done to a problem eye he was born with in Mexico, had the work done at taxpayer expense and moved back to Mexico permanently. Wow and I can't even get medical insurance without breaking the bank.

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5:16 AM MST on Wed., Dec. 5, 2007 re: "Health center for immigrants opens"

Jeff, an Independent said:
I wonder how many Illegal Aliens are going to exploit this...

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9:28 PM MST on Wed., Nov. 7, 2007 re: "Plan to expand health insurance clears a hurdle"

Examiner Reader said:
The sheep want to give O'Malley a health care victory.

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8:25 AM MST on Sun., Sep. 23, 2007 re: "Howard County to offer health care to all uninsured residents"

Examiner Reader said:
Another rash decision by the immature Ulman. You are going to have people move to Howard County just for the free medical insurance. That'll be good for the tax base. Ulman was "Secretary of the Cabinet" under Glendening, the worst MD governor in the last 30 years. Under Ulman's Cabinet leadership, Glendening created a structural deficit that we deal with still today. Ulman deserves the blame for this. Now we are going to support another big-government idea from him? Unless, of course, Ulman wasn't really "Secretary of the Cabinet" under Glendening. But that would mean he would have lied about his resume, which can't be the case.

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2:24 AM MST on Sat., Jul. 21, 2007 re: "GBMC, Hopkins Medicine team up"

Stephanie Shantz said:
I'm sorry for going on and on, but if Dr. Renold Keyser wouldn' have told my parents what he found I would not be here today. It began when I was 6 months, then a different tumor when I was 5 years old. Dr. Howard Lederman was my Dr. at JHH, both are my angels. Even though I have lasting effects, I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for them both. Dr. Renold Keyser is from Hagerstown MD, I love them both and Dr. Howard Lederman is from JHH. Dr. Alex Hollar did my surgery, he was chief of surgery back then. I still keep in contact w both dr's. I was given a second chance. So if anyone that reads this has any doubt about their sickness Please go to JHH. They will save ur life. I'm now 26 yrs. old and doing great because of them. My email is sshantz123@yahoo.com if u have any questions or would just like to talk. I enjoy helping people and trying to give back what was given to me. Dr. Cindy Swartz was also a big help, however she's not there anymore, she moved to NY and is now the d

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7:48 AM MST on Mon., May. 14, 2007 re: "New stent aids diabetes patients"

Examiner Reader said:
Could this be the begining of the end. Med companies will probably buy up the Patents to save their income. How can we stop them?

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9:31 AM MST on Thu., May. 3, 2007 re: "Raise your hand, if you�re sure"

Examiner Reader said:
The below site has great information about hyperhidrosis and its treatments. They also offer Free brochures and a Free e-newsletter. www.SweatHelp.org

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10:03 AM MST on Thu., Apr. 26, 2007 re: "Miss Maryland to talk to teens about skin cancer"

Examiner Reader said:
Perhaps Miss Lietz should read the harvard medical school study that came out this march stating Indoor tanning prevents melonoma cancer, thats the Dana -Farber cancer institute, Miss Lietz was scheldued in Annapolis to address this at a legistative meeting she did not show, thats www.dana-farber.org

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11:52 PM MST on Wed., Apr. 25, 2007 re: "Miss Maryland to talk to teens about skin cancer"

Examiner Reader said:
I doubt that Miss Lietz will be telling the students about the Harvard Medical School's Dana Farber Cancer Institute study that concluded "Tanning Protects Against Skin Cancer." Miss Lietz should stop blaming herself for getting skin cancer. She should know by now that nothing she did caused her to get the disease. It's genetic. Tanning didn't cause it. Tanning salons are not to blame. The fact of the matter is, moderate tanning is healthy behavior. It prevents more diseases by the processing of vitamin D3. It's time for Miss Lietz to go back to Nursing School. She has a lot to learn.

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