Statement

by the End AIDS NY 2020 Coalition

calling on Gov. Cuomo to fund the Plan to End AIDS
March 28, 2016
In the AIDS movement, we have long honored the dead by fighting for the living. We honor those we
have lostour friends, family, loved onesby fighting for a day when we will no longer lose anyone.
That day is closer than it has ever been. Today, we honor over 100,000 New Yorkers who have died from
AIDS, by demanding an end to this epidemic that has plagued us for over 30 years, once and for all. We
ask that Governor Cuomo, Assembly Speaker Heastie, Senate Majority Leader Flanagan, and members of
both houses join us in honoring the memory of those we have lost by allocating $70 million in this years
budget toward New Yorks plan to end AIDS by 2020.
While we would hope the human cost and vision of an AIDS-free generation would be motivation
enough, we continue to appeal to your wisdom as leaders who must manage budgets and a multitude of
issues. To that end, we have provided ample evidence that investing millions now will reduce new HIV
infections and save billionsan estimated $4.5 billion in healthcare costs. We have shown you the path
to ending this epidemic by ensuring people have access to treatment, as well as housing. And we have
reinforced that without the critical component of stable housing, we will not achieve our 2020 goal.
We have the tools to end this epidemic. In honor of those 100,000 who we have lost, in the face of the
129,000 New Yorkers living with HIV/AIDS, and with recognition of the roughly 3,000 who will contract
HIV annually if we do not act now, we must make our 2020 goal a reality. A $70 million investment now
is a small price to pay to make sure the list of names of those weve lost that we read aloud today does
not get any longerby saving lives and money in the months and years to come and finally achieving an
AIDS-free New York State.
We will end AIDS in New York. We hope you will join us.