"This is so we don’t have to raise the fuel tax on our airplanes,” State Rep. Dave Agema told the Michigan Messenger, which broke the story.
After all, what are a few thousand human lives compared to saving money on fuel?
The head of Michigan AIDS Coalition blasted Rep. Agema, calling his idea not only short-sighted, but an idea that could literally result in a further explosion of HIV rates in the state of Michigan.
“I am truly dismayed that Representative Agema has proposed eliminating the Michigan Health Fund Initiative to shift the funding to aeronautics,” said their CEO, Helen Hicks. "Evidently Representative Agema believes that a human life is so insignificant that he would rather channel the $9 million dollars that is currently being used to save lives toward repairing airports.”
What would happen if the $9 million that goes toward the Michigan Health Fund Initiative were funneled to airports? Public health experts in Michigan say that it would directly impact the ability to provide free and confidential HIV-testing at health centers across the state. It would also eliminate the risk reduction education and counseling that many health centers do, and could also jeopardize the ability to assist those who test HIV-positive in contacting former partners or others who might have been exposed to HIV.
And that sounds like a total, absolute disaster for health care in the state of Michigan.
"Unfortunately, as a nation we stopped investing in HIV prevention over the last decade, with a resulting increase in new infections, especially among our young people,” Laurel Sprague, a member of the Michigan Positive Action Coalition, told the Michigan Messenger. "Since people who do not know their HIV status are responsible for the majority of new infections, Michigan’s HIV counseling and testing programs are of critical importance in stopping new infections and getting those who are already infected into appropriate care programs. If anything, the responsible thing for lawmakers, and I hope Representative Agema will agree, would be to increase funding for Michigan’s counseling and testing programs."
The reality on the ground in Michigan is that the state is going through a profound budget crisis, like many other states. But ending HIV-prevention funding is only going to exacerbate the health care situation in the state, raising costs and causing the state a much bigger headache than airports.
"While I understand that difficult budget decisions will need to be made as we work to turn Michigan around, cutting programs that are in place to either serve our most vulnerable citizens or prevent the creation of disparities is neither a socially or economically responsible choice,” says Emily Dievendorf, policy director of Equality Michigan.
You know what else isn't an economically responsible choice? Taking a two-week vacation to Russia to hunt goats, while the state of Michigan wrestles with a budget crisis. Yet that's what Rep. Agema has on his résumé.
Digression aside, it's time to send Michigan lawmakers a message that HIV-prevention funding is critical, and shouldn't be cut or transferred to pay for cheaper airplane fuel. Times are tough, but they'll get a whole lot tougher in the state if lawmakers decide to throw public health advocates and HIV-prevention programs under the bus. Or under the jet, if you will.
petition text -
Don't eliminate funding for HIV-prevention programs in order to fund airports
Dear Gov. Snyder and Speaker Bolger,
I became aware of a proposal from State Rep. Dave Agema that calls for the state of Michigan to strip $9 million in funding from the Michigan Health Fund Initiative, and instead transfer this money to help Michigan upkeep airports and lower airplane fuel taxes. This proposal is dangerous, misguided and harmful, and I urge you to not let this proposal move forward.
What would happen if the $9 million that goes toward the Michigan Health Fund Initiative were funneled to airports? Public health experts in Michigan say that it would directly impact the ability to provide free and confidential HIV-testing at health centers across the state. It would also eliminate the risk reduction education and counseling that many health centers do, and could also jeopardize the ability to assist those who test HIV-positive in contacting former partners or others who might have been exposed to HIV.
All of that combined could lead to a disaster in Michigan, in terms of public health. I urge you to drop Rep. Agema's proposal, and continue to fund HIV-prevention programs in Michigan. Times are tough, but in these times we need to make sure that programs that reach the most vulnerable are supported, else we reap dire consequences.
Thank you for your time.
[Your name here]
-end-
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