The Dignity Fund Coalition has revised its proposed legislation for additional revenue for San Francisco’s vulnerable elders and people living with disabilities. According to the current proposal, revenues are to be secured from the General Fund Aggregate Discretionary Revenue (ADR) rather than a set aside percentage of property taxes. (See the May 19 “Aging in Community” column for information about the initial Dignity Fund legislation, http://sfbaytimes.com/lets-move-dignity-fund-forward/)
The current proposal will allow more flexibility in revenue sourcing and a more gradual implementation period. Funding in the initial years will be at a fixed amount of $7.5 million in the first year and 4 million for the next 9 years. In the tenth year, funding would then increase by tracking with overall general fund growth (ADR).
The current proposal goes to the Board of Supervisors Rules Committee today, June 23, and then on to the full Board of Supervisors in July to place the Dignity Fund legislation on the November 2016 ballot for a vote. Six of the eleven Supervisors presently support the Dignity Fund: Malia Cohen, Eric Mar, Scott Wiener, Norman Yee, David Campos and John Avalos. Thank you to each of the co-sponsoring Supervisors, and thanks to all of you who supported the Dignity Fund with your emails, post cards and calls.
If you have not sent a message of support, now is the time to do it. To ensure a winning vote in July, tell the remaining uncommitted Supervisors–Mark Farrell, London Breed and Jane Kim–that funding for existing senior programs has not, and will not, keep pace with San Francisco’s growing elder population without an infusion of financial resources.
District 2: Mark.Farrell@sfgov.org
District 5: London.Breed@sfgov.org
District 6: Jane.Kim@sfgov.org
One out of five San Franciscans is over the age of 65. During the next 15 years, the city’s senior population will increase by an estimated 5 % via an additional 100,000 elders. The Dignity Fund is an exceptional opportunity to ensure that veterans, older adults and seniors living with HIV and other chronic illnesses, isolated LGBT seniors, adults with disabilities, and other vulnerable senior populations receive the services and programs they need to stay in their homes and in their communities.
The Dignity Fund legislation is the right thing to do to ensure the health and well-being of San Francisco’s senior citizens.
Go to the Dignity Fund website to receive updates, to volunteer and to donate: www.sfdignityfund.org
Partial Coalition List: AIDS Legal Referral Panel, Alzheimer’s Association, Asian Pacific Islander Legal Outreach, Bayview Hunters Point Multi-purpose Senior Services, Canon Kip Senior Center, Catholic Charities San Francisco, Centro Latino de San Francisco, Community Living Campaign, Curry Senior Center, Episcopal Senior Communities, Faith in Action Bay Area, Family Caregiver Alliance, Family Service Agency/Felton Institute, Filipino Community Center, HIV & Aging Work Group, HIV Long Term Survivors, Independent Living Resource Center, Institute on Aging, Jewish Family and Children’s Services, Kimochi Inc., Lighthouse for the Blind, Little Brothers Friend of the Elderly, Meals on Wheels San Francisco, Northern California Presbyterian Homes and Services, On Lok Inc., Openhouse, Pilipino Senior Resource Center, Project Openhand, Richmond Senior Center, San Francisco Village, Self-Help for the Elderly, Senior & Disability Action, Shanti Project, South of Market Community Action Network, Steppingstone, Swords to Plowshares, The ARC-SF, The Living Room, Veterans Equity Center, Westbay Filipino Center, and YMCA of San Francisco.
Marcy Adelman, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist in private practice, is co-founder of the non-profit organization Openhouse and was a leading member of the San Francisco LGBT Aging Policy Task Force.
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