We are asking your support and participation in a rally and demonstration to save public services, particularly health care on Wednesday, April 23rd, from 4:30 to 6:00 PM on the City Hall steps.

We have reached a point where differences among us over civil service vs. private-non-profit or inpatient vs. outpatient have become meaningless. There is not enough of any health service, and cuts to any health service increases the load on other services that are already overburdened, underfunded, and understaffed.

Please read the attached letter and contact us.

Dear Healthcare Advocate,

We are asking your support and participation in a rally/demonstration to save public services, particularly health care, on Wednesday, April 23rd, from 4:30 to 6:00 PM on the City Hall steps.

All of us are dismayed and alarmed by the City’s proposals to cut healthcare and other needed services to San Francisco residents. Currently, San Francisco residents and health workers are faced with the mayor or supervisors’ elimination of mental-health day treatment, most substance-abuse treatment, adult dental care, sub-acute care at the MHRF, the Oceanview-Merced-Ingleside (OMI) Family Center, SF General Hospital Patient Referral, half the SFGH translators, and deep cuts to homeless and child protection services. The budget situation is so fluid that although the threatened half-time closure of the City health centers is currently off the table, it remains in easy reach. Finally, the City Sheriff threatens to contract out jail health services to a private prison health contractor, which typically profits by neglecting prisoners’ problems, often endangering their lives, and burdening their communities with additional health problems upon release.

Although the City’s plans to offset its projected $350 million shortfall with plans for service cuts and layoffs, the only talk about raising revenue is fee increases for residents or one-time-only property sales totaling $36 million During the boom years, corporations and real estate businesses made billions and sued the City for over $100 million dollars, while the numbers of homeless, medically uninsured, and poor rose. Now as we enter bad times for all, people need City services more than ever, yet they are being cut.

If public health services fail, and they will with these cuts, it will affect everybody in San Francisco. A balanced solution to the economic crisis must include corporations, homeowners, renters, and top City management as well as City workers.

We have reached a point where differences among us over civil service vs. private-non-profit or inpatient vs. outpatient have become meaningless. There is not enough of any health service, and cuts to any health service increases the load on other services that are already overburdened, underfunded, and understaffed.

At present, SAVE PUBLIC HEALTH is a new coalition of SEIU and other health workers unions, families and friends of mental health patients, and health activists, but we all recognize the need for a bigger and broader organization that can become strong enough to protect all health needs of poor and working San Franciscans. Please contact one of us.

Thank you,