HomeMy WebLinkAbout5.2 Proposition 64 LeRouche AIDS Initiative 50
CITY OF DUBLIN
AGENDA STATEMENT
CITY COUNCIL MEETING DATE: October 13, 1986
StUBJECT Written Communication re Proposition 64
EXHIBITS ATTACHED Resolution; Letter from NO ON 64 East Bay Coordinator
dated September 7, 1986
RECOMMENDATION Consider
FINANCIAL STATEMENT: None
DESCRIPTION Mayor Snyder has requested that the attached letter
and resolution be placed on the City Council agenda for Council
consideration.
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COPIES TO:
ITEM NO.
Item 5.2 Exhibit Missing
Resolution
NO 0 60
STOP LAROUCHE
September 7, 1986
Mayor Peter Snyder
City of Dublin
P.O. Box 2340
Dublin, CA 94568
Dear Mayor Snyder
This letter is being written to urge you to join many
community leaders in making a strong statement in opposition
to Proposition 64. We also urge you to put a resolution on
your next meeting' s agenda. We have enclosed a model
resolution for this purpose and for your information and
review.
Californians want the AIDS epidemic to end. We cannot
afford any interruptions in the progress being made toward a
vaccine and cure for the disease, or in the work of
educating the public about the true ways. in which AIDS is-
spread. However , seeing enormous political gain to be made
from this very emotional issue, Lyndon LaRouche has placed
Proposition 64 before California's voters. Proposition 64
will not prevent a single case of AIDS. It will do enormous
harm to the work that is being done to respond to this
tragic epidemic.
Lyndon LaRouche and his followers, who are sponsors of Prop
64 are exploiting the myth that AIDS can be transmitted by
casual contact , despite years of medical research to the
contrary. Prop 64 wrecklessly denies this medical evidence.
Furthermore, not one credible medical or public health
official or organization supports Prop 64.
It makes no sense whatsoever , then, to remove teachers and
foodservice workers from their jobs and children from
schools simply because they test positive for the AIDS
virus. It makes even less sense given the fact that 1 out
of 100 times , the AIDS antibody test gives a false positive
result .
In order to carry out Proposition 64, it will be necessary
to test all schoolchildren, teachers and food-service
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workers in California. A study by the University of
California concludes that as many as 47, 000 students may
falsely test positive. 22, 000 employed Californlas' required
to take the AIDS test may suffer unemployment and quarantine
based on a false test result.
The State of California will spend only $28. 8 million this
year for its AIDS effort - including education, research,
and testing. By comparison, the State Legislative Analyst
estimates that policing Proposition 64 could cost the state
hundreds of millions of dollars each year. The University
of California study further indicates that the overall cost
to the economy could exceed $2. 35 BILLION in the first year
alone.
At a time when we are making progress toward development of
an AIDS vaccine and drugs to treat AIDS, the cost of
policing Proposition 64 is an unconscionable misdirection of
public spending. These same dollars should be spent on
research and education - work that can actually stop AIDS:
.If Proposition 64 wins in November, California will lose
years in the fight against AIDS. . The fear created for
people at risk for this disease - fear of unemployment and
quarantine - will be so great that they will take steps
necessary to avoid testing and medical care. We will see
participation in research to find a cure to this tragedy
destroyed. And the spread of AIDS will worsen.
We hope we can count on your strong support of the NO on 64
campaign.
Sincerely,
Carole Selter Norris
East Bay Coordinator
Enclosures
"SAMPLE RESOULTION OPPOSING PROPOSITION 64"
WHEREAS, is dedicated to encouraging appropriate
and responsible policies by the public health authorities in
the State of California in response to. the .existence of AIDS
in our society; and
WHEREAS, the initiative measure to be decided by the voters of California
on the November, 1986 ballot, commonly referred to as
"The La Rouche Initiative",is both unnecessary and irresponsible;
and
WHEREAS, the statutes dealing with infectious, contagious and communicable
disease primarily relate to bacteria and viruses that are
transmitted by casual contact in schools, workplaces and other
areas and AIDS is only transmitted by an exchange of bodily
fluids through initmate sexual activity or by blood products;
and
WHEREAS, the existing public health laws of California are adequate to
fully protect the public's health; and
WHEREAS, passage of the La Rouche Initiative would be injurious to the
public health of the citizens of California in that it would
discourage persons from seeking proper medical evaluation and
health care; and
WHEREAS, decisions regarding the control of infectious, contagious and
communicable diseases should be left to the sound discretion
of the public health authorities who are medically qualified to
make such decisions and not imposed by irresponsible and radical
political organizations; and
WHEREAS, the fear created by this initiative will discourage testing,
seriously hamper research projects and prevent people from
receiving adequate medical care; and
WHEREAS, the money required to be spent on testing, reporting of quarantine
by this initiative should instead be spent on education, care
and assistance for those stricken with the disease, research and
finding a cure.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that strongly opposes
the La Rouche Initiative and urges t e voters of Cali ornia to vote against
it.
Adopted this day of 1986
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