>> REFEREE: >>> COMING UP NEXT ON ARIZONA HORIZON.

AFTER YEARS OF GETTING MILLIONS IN FEDERAL FUNDING, THE CITY OF PHOENIX COULD BE FACING A BUDGET SHORTFALL.

ALSO TONIGHT WE'LL LOOK AT THE RECENT RISE IN MEASLES CASES AROUND THE COUNTRY AND HOW AN ASC PROFESSOR IS WORKING TO HELP END THE HIV EPIDEMIC IN ARIZONA.

THOSE STORIES AND MORE COMING UP ON ARIZONA HORIZON.

>> GOOD EVENING, AND WELCOME TO ARIZONA HORIZON.

I'M IN NOR TED SIMONS.

IN A UNANIMOUS DECISION THE U.S. SUPREME COURT RESTORED DONALD TRUMP TO THE 2024 PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY BALLOT IN COLORADO.

IT ALSO IMPACTS OTHER STATES TYING TO KEEP TRUMP OFF THEIR BALLOTS BASED ON THE 14th AMENDMENT INSURRECTION PROVISION.

THE COURT DID NOT DECIDE WHETHER THE JANUARY 6th ATTACK ON THE CAPITOL WAS INSURRECTION AND DID NOT DECIDE WHETHER TRUMP PARTICIPATED IN IT.

TRUMP REACTED TO THE RULING FROM HIS HOME IN MAR-A-LARGO.

>> I WANT TO START BY THANKING THE SUPREME COURT FOR ITS UNANIMOUS DECISION TODAY IT WAS A VERY IMPORTANT DECISION AND WELL CRAFTED AND I THINK WILL GO A LONG WAY TOWARD BRINGING OUR COUNTRY TOGETHER.

>> MEANWHILE, ALLEN WEISSELBERG, THE FORMER CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER FOR THE TRUMP ORGANIZATION PLEADED GUILTY TO PERJURY TODAY FOR LYING IN FRONT OF A CIVIL FRAUD TRIAL.

THAT TRIAL RESULTED IN A $450 MILLION SETTLEMENT AGAINST TRUMP.

NEXT MONTH, WEISSELBERG WILL BE SENTENCED TO FIVE MONTHS IN JAIL.

HE'S ALREADY SERVED SOME JAIL TIME FOR CRIMES IN A TAX FRAUD CASE.

>> EVER UNIVERSITY ARIZONA PRESIDENT ROBERT ROBIN WILL TAKE A 10% PAY CUT, IT COMES AT ROBIN'S REQUEST FOLLOWING A $177 MILLION SHORTFALL AT THE UNIVERSITY IN TUCSON.

THE PAY-CUT COMES OFF HIS BASE SALARY OF $816,000.

ROBBINS ALSO WANT TO FOREGO ANY BONUSES AND PERFORMANCE COMPENSATION.

THE DEAL STILL NEEDS TO BE FORMALIZED BY THE BOARD OF REGENTS WHICH OVERSEES ARIZONA'S UNIVERSITY.

>> THE CITY OF PHOENIX ESTIMATES A BUDGET SURPLUS OF $80 MILLION IN THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR, THAT STARTS JULY 1st.

BUT NO ONE AT CITY HALL IS PARTICULARLY EXCITED BECAUSE THE CITY'S FINANCIAL FUTURE LOOKS A LOT LESS ROSIE THE FOLLOWING YEAR.

>> CITY MANAGER JOSH BARTON IS JOINING WITH US MORE.

THANKS FOR COMING IN.

>> THANK YOU.

>> YOU'VE PROJECTED AN $80 MILLION SURPLUS FOR THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR THAT STARTS JULY 1st BUT AFTER THAT IT'S GOING THE OPPOSITE WAY.

>> WE DO A MULTI-YEAR FORECAST.

IT HELPS MAKE MARKET IS STRONG, STRATEGIC DECISIONS.

WE'VE GOT AN $80 MILLION SURPLUS NEXT YEAR WHICH IS MOSTLY CONSISTING OF ONE-TIME MONEY.

AND IT'S IMPORTANT THAT I EMPHASIZE THAT.

TWO YEARS AFTER THAT BECAUSE OF WHAT THE STATE DID TO THE CITY AND REMOVING A PROVISION FOR US TO COLLECT RESIDENTIAL TAX AND THE FLAT TAX, WE'VE GOT A DEFICIT THAT'S GOING TO BE A MIDPOINT OF ABOUT $92 MILLION IN FISCAL YEAR 25/26 AND 26/27 ANOTHER SHORTFALL THAT'S ROUGHLY ABOUT $32 MILLION.

SO THERE ARE A COUPLE THINGS THAT THE CITY BLAMES, FOR LACK OF A BETTER WORD, THE STATE FOR WHEN IT COMES TO A SHORTFALL.

ONE IS STARTING IN THE CALENDAR YEAR 2025, CITIES CAN NO LONGER CHARGE SALES TAX ON RESIDENTIAL RUN.

>> CORRECT.

THAT'S ABOUT $83 TO $85 MILLION A YEAR.

IT GROWS AS THE ECONOMY GROWS.

NOT ALL IT IS OUR GENERAL FUND.

ABOUT HALF OF IT IS OUR GENERAL FUND AND THE REST IS OTHER THINGS LIKE THE PARKS AND RESERVE INITIATIVES AND OUR PUBLIC SAFETY OF POLICE AND FIREFIGHTERS.

>> SO THE MAYOR AND SOME OTHER PEOPLE HAVE BEEN LOBBYING, STATE LAWMAKERS IN HOPES OF DELAYING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THAT BAN.

BUT SOMEONE COULD SAY, YOU ALL KNEW IT WAS COMING, RIGHT?

SO IT SHOULDN'T BE A BIG SURPRISE.

>> I GUESS I WOULD SAY THAT'S PARTIALLY TRUE.

WE KNEW IT WAS COMING AFTER WE'VE ALREADY ADOPTED OUR BUDGET LAST YEAR AND AFTER WE ALREADY MADE COMMITMENTS TO OUR RESIDENTS AS WELL AS OUR EMPLOYEES IN TERMS OF HOW WE'RE GOING TO COMPENSATE THEM.

YOU ADOPT THE BUDGET AT HOME AND SOMEONE PULLS THE RUG FROM UNDERNEATH YOU, AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT THE STATE DID TO US.

WE MAKE COMMITMENTS TO OUR EMPLOYEES, AND COMMITMENT TO OUR COMMUNITY IN TERMS OF THE SERVICE AND THE LEVEL OF SERVICE THAT WE'RE GOING TO PROVIDE THEM AND THEN THE STATE ESSENTIALLY TOOK $130 PLUS MILLION-DOLLARS ANNUALLY FROM US.

>> SO IN ADDITION TO THE BAN ON THE SALES TAX FOR RESIDENTIAL RENT, THERE WAS A CHANGE IN THE FLAT TAX RATE THAT ALSO IMPACTS YOUR REVENUE.

>> ABOUT $35 MILLION NEXT YEAR AND $40 TO $43 MILLION AFTER THAT.

>> SOME PEOPLE HAVE HEARD THAT THE CITY HAS RECEIVED A LOT OF FUNDS FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SINCE -- DURING THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION, DURING THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION, ALL RELATED TO COVID, EITHER RESCUE DOLLARS OR RELIEF DOLLARS.

SOMETHING LIKE $400 MILLION.

IT'S A LOT OF MONEY.

SO SOMEBODY MIGHT SEE THAT BIG POT OF MONEY AND SAY WHY CAN'T YOU JUST USE THAT?

>> WELL, WE'VE GOT $396 MILLION FROM THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT, SO CLOSE TO $400-.

YOU COULD WORK IN BUDGET RESEARCH.

YOU KNOW, THAT MONEY IS REALLY TIED TO BEING USED ON COVID-RELATED OFFENSES.

WHAT WE'RE FACING RIGHT NOW IS A REVENUE SHORTFALL BECAUSE OF WHAT THE STATE DID TO US, NOT BECAUSE OF ANYTHING THAT COVID DID TO US.

>> SO THE COVID MONEY, SO PEOPLE UNDERSTAND, MUST BE USED FOR CERTAIN THINGS THAT ARE CONNECTED TO COVID.

>> EITHER CONNECTED TO COVID OR YOU'RE ENHANCING YOUR NEIGHBORHOODS, LIKE DEPRESSED NEIGHBORHOODS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.

>> WHAT ARE YOU DOING RIGHT NOW IN TERMS OF GOING THROUGH EACH DEPARTMENT'S BUDGET TO PREPARE FOR -- I MEAN, IT'S TOUGH TO PREPARE A COUPLE YEARS IN ADVANCE BUT -- >> THE GOOD THING ABOUT A MULTI-YEAR FORECAST IS WE'VE GOT 18 TO 17 MONTHS TO REALLY MAKE THESE DECISIONS.

WE DON'T HAVE TO ACT HAPHAZARDLY.

WE'VE GOT TIME TO BE STRATEGIC.

WHAT I'M GOING TO DO ON MARCH 19th WHEN I BRING THE CITY MANAGER'S COUNSEL BACK, I'M GOING TO REQUEST THAT THEY PUT THE $80 MILLION IN RESERVE AND GIVES ME A GLIDE PATH AS I TRY TO BALANCE 25/26.

AND NEXT YEAR AROUND THE NOVEMBER, DECEMBER TIME FRAME, WE'LL ASK DEPARTMENTS FOR POSSIBLE REDUCTIONS AND TALK TO COUNCIL ABOUT POSSIBLE REVENUES.

BECAUSE AGAIN TO BALANCE MY BUDGET, YOU EITHER GOTTA REDUCE YOUR FOOTPRINT BY CUTTING COSTS OR INCREASE YOUR REVENUE TO OFF-SET THE COSTS.

>> WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT INCREASING REVENUES, ARE YOU TALKING TAXES -- WAS IT LAST WEEK?

I THINK YOU UPDATES COUNCIL ON THE BUDGET SITUATION, AND ONE COUNCIL MEMBER COULDN'T EVEN SAY THE WORD "PASS."

>> YEAH, I THINK IT'S TOO EARLY WE'VE GOT TIME.

JULY 1st IS OUR PROJECTED SHORTFALL, JULY 1st 2025 IS OUR BUDGET YEAR.

AND WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW, WE'LL LOOK AT DIFFERENT OPTIONS AND RESERVE $80 MILLION AT MY REQUEST, THAT GIVES US A GUIDE PATH AND WE'LL SEE WHERE WE ARE FROM THERE.

>> SO YOU MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE COUNCIL, SO YOUR RECOMMENDATION IS LET'S HOLD THAT $80 MILLION, LET'S NOT SPEND IT, I KNOW THAT DURING THE PUBLIC OUTREACH PEOPLE SHOW UP AND LATE LY IT'S BEEN PICKLEBALL COURTS AND EXPANDED LIBRARY HOURS AND THOSE SORTS OF THINGS.

ISN'T THAT GOING TO BE TOUGH TO SAY TO PEOPLE NO?

>> IT WILL BE TOUGH.

BUT I GREW UP IN AUDIT AND THE BUDGET AND RESEARCH DEPARTMENT, SO NO IS PROBABLY THE EASIEST THING FOR ME TO SAY.

I THINK WHAT WE HAVE TO EMPHASIZE IS THIS BUDGET IS ABOUT PROTECTING THE SERVICES THAT YOU HAVE NOW AND NOT HAVING TO INFRINGE OR REDUCE THOSE SERVICES.

AND THAT'S GONNA BE THE MESSAGE AND WE'VE ADDED A LOT OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS AND NOW IT'S TIME TO PROTECT THOSE SERVICES THAT WE'VE ADDED THE LAST THREE YEARS.

>> SO NEXT STEP, MARCH 19th, WHEN YOU'RE GONNA SAY, HEY, HERE'S HOW THINGS LOOK FOR THE UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR AND THE ONE AFTER?

>> NO.

WE REALLY DO ONE-YEAR BUDGET AT A TIME.

WE'LL START OUR PROCESS ON MARCH 19th IS WHEN I PRESENT THE TRIAL BUDGET WHICH RUNS FROM JULY 1 THROUGH JUNE 30th, 2025 AND THEN WE HAVE OUR BUDGET HEARINGS FROM APRIL 2nd TO THE 16th.

>> ALL RIGHT, WE'LL BE FOLLOWING YOU.

THANK YOU FOR COMING IN.

>> OF COURSE.

>>> MEASLES CASES ARE ON THE RISE AROUND THE COUNTRY AND HERE IN ARIZONA.

WE WILL HAVE THAT COMING UP NEXT.

>> MEASLES CASES ARE ON THE RISE AROUND THE COUNTRY AND HERE IN ARIZONA.

JOINING US TO DISCUSS THE UPTICK AND WHAT'S BEHIND THAT IS WILL HUMMLE, THE DIRECTOR OF ARIZONA'S PUBLIC HEALTH ASSOCIATION.

HI, WILL.

THANKS FOR COMING IN.

>> GOOD EVENING, THANKS.

>> LET'S START WITH MATH WITH YOU, TOO.

WHERE ARE WE IN TERMS OF CASES?

YEAH, SO A FEW WEEKS AGO WE HAD OUR FIRST INITIAL CASE OF MEASLES AND IT STARTED LIKE IT ALWAYS DOES, WITH A TRAVEL CASE.

IT'S EITHER -- THESE MEASLES OUTBREAKS USUALLY START WITH SOMEBODY WHO TRAVELED EITHER TO EUROPE OR SOUTHERN ASIA, WHO THE U.S. CITIZEN WAS UNVACCINATED 20 TO A PLACE IN THE WORLD THAT HAS A LOT OF MEASLES, COMES BACK AND GETS MEASLES HERE.

OR A FOREIGN TRAVELER ON A VISA, USUALLY FROM SOUTHERN ASIA, SOMETIMES EUROPE, AUSTRIA HAS A WHOLE BUNCH OF CASES RIGHT NOW, COMES IN, AND THEN WE HAVE THAT INITIAL CASE.

RIGHT NOW I THINK THERE'S THREE CASES IN ARIZONA.

SO THAT INITIAL CASE CAUSED TWO MORE CASES, AND NOW WE'RE IN THE INCUBATION PERIOD FOR THE EXPOSURES THAT OCCURRED WITH THE TWO NEW CASES.

SO WE'LL FIND OUT PROBABLY IN THE NEXT SEVEN TO 14 DAYS HOW MANY MORE CASES COME FROM THAT SECOND HE SET OF CASES.

>> SO SOMEONE MIGHT HEAR THREE CASES AND SAY THAT'S NOTHING.

WELL, THERE'S MILLIONS OF PEOPLE IN ARIZONA.

>> YEAH.

WELL, IT'S SUPER CONTAGIOUS.

WE TALKED ABOUT THIS BEFORE THE SHOW.

IT'S THE MOST CONTAGIOUS VIRUS THERE IS.

SUPER CONTAGIOUS.

ALL IT TAKES IS SOME UNVACCINATED PEOPLE TO WALK THROUGH A ROOM THAT A PERSON WHO WAS -- IS SPREADING THE VIRUS, WITHIN TWO HOURS AGO, AND THEY WILL ALMOST CERTAINLY COME DOWN WITH MEASLES.

SO YOU SAW LIKE COVID, WHICH WE WERE TOTALLY UNVACCINATED STATE AT BEGINNING OF THAT.

SO WE HAVE LOTS OF VACCINE ON BOARD.

IT'S NOT LIKE IT WAS IN 1960, FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN IT WAS BEFORE THE VACCINE.

BUT IT CAN CASCADE INTO CASES, AND THE BIG DEAL IS IF IT WERE TO GET INTO SCHOOLS -- RIGHT NOW SO FAR, NONE OF THESE CASES HAVE BEEN IN A SCHOOL.

BUT IF IT WERE -- IF THIS VIRUS -- ONE OF THESE PERSONS WAS IN CONTACT WITH KIDS IN SCHOOL FROM, SAY, YAVAPAI OR MOHAVE COUNTIES ARE OUR LEAST VACCINATED COUNTIES, IT COULD QUICKLY EXPLODE INTO A WHOLE BUNCH OF CASES BECAUSE VACCINATION RATES AMONG KIDS ARE VERY LOW IN SOME OF THOSE COUNTIES.

>> THE STATE HEALTH DEPARTMENT ACTUALLY SAYS THAT THE LAST SCHOOL YEAR ARIZONA'S EXEMPTION RATE FOR KINDERGARTENERS WAS 7%.

AND THAT'S SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER THAN THE NATIONAL RATE.

DOES THAT CONCERN YOU OR DO YOU -- BECAUSE YOU MENTIONED A COUPLE OF COUNTIES.

IS IT MOSTLY IN CERTAIN AREAS?

YEAH.

IF YOU LOOK AT THE STATEWIDE NUMBER, THAT'S LESS IMPORTANT TO ME THAN SOME OF THESE PARTS OF THE STATE WITH REALLY LOW VACCINATION RATES.

AND BY THE WAY, EVEN IN MARICOPA COUNTY, WHICH HAS -- I THINK THE EXEMPTION RATE IS LIKE 11%, CLOSE THAT.

LIKE CHARTER SCHOOLS, FOR EXAMPLE, WITHIN MARICOPA COUNTY, HAVE MUCH LOWER VACCINATION RATES THAN THAT, ON THE EXEMPTION SIDE.

SO THERE'S THESE POCKETS OF PLACES THAT ARE REALLY FERTILE GROUND FOR REALLY SPREADING THE VIRUS QUICKLY.

NOW, WE MIGHT GET LUCKY, AND THESE INITIAL CASES MIGHT GO TO PLACES WHERE PEOPLE ARE GENERALLY PRETTY WELL VACCINATED, AND IF THAT CONTINUES TO HAPPEN, THEN IT'LL BE THIS ONE OFF, TWO OFF, FOUR-CASE KIND OF THING UNTIL WE CAN COME TO THE END OF THIS, BUT IF IT GETS INTO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT LIKE I TALKED ABOUT, SOMEWHERE LIKE YAVAPAI, IT -- THERE'S SO MANY SUSCEPTIBLE KIDS IN SOME OF THOSE SCHOOLS.

>> AND WHAT HAPPENS WHEN SOMEONE GETS THE MEASLES?

>> YEAH.

SO THE SYMPTOMS ARE LIKE REALLY HIGH FEVER, SOMETIMES REALLY, REALLY HIGH, LIKE 105, 20% OF THE KIDS WILL GET PNEUMONIA.

IT'S FATAL SOMETIMES.

THAT'S FAIRLY RARE.

IT CAN CAUSE ENCEPHALITIS.

IT'S A REALLY SCARY ILLNESS, AND IF YOU GO BACK TO LIKE MY PARENTS' GENERATION, LIKE, THEY WERE -- IN FACT, I HAD MEASLES IN '62.

IT WAS A REALLY SCARY DISEASE.

AND I THINK MANY PARENTS HAVE OH DON'T HAVE THE LIVED EXPERIENCE OF KNOWING HOW SCARY MEASLES CAN BE.

AND THAT IS, I THINK, PLAYING INTO SOME OF THIS VACCINE HESITANCY THAT WE SEE IN SOME OF THESE PARTS OF THE STATE.

>> WE HAD A SIGNIFICANT OUTBREAK IN 2016 IN ARIZONA.

THAT WAS THE LAST ONE.

I THINK IT WAS LIMITED TO -- IT WAS A LAW ENFORCEMENT -- >> YEAH, IT WAS A CASE THAT CAME BACK FROM DISNEYLAND, SO -- KEARNY, STILL AT THE STATE HEALTH DEPARTMENT BACK THEN, WELL, JUST AFTER I LEFT.

SO IN PINNAL AND GILA COUNTY AREA, I THINK THAT HAD THREE GENERATIONS OF CASE BEFORE IT ENDED.

SO FORTUNATELY, THOSE INITIAL CASES DID GET INTO US, LIKE AN AREA WITH REALLY LOW VACCINATION RATES SO IT'S IN A CASCADES -- IT DIDN'T CASCADE LIKE IT POTENTIALLY COULD.

NOT SAYING IT IS GOING TO CASCADE.

BUT IF DEPENDS ON WHERE THESE CASES WERE AND WHO WAS EXPOSED IN TERMS OF HOW MANY MORE GENERATIONS AND HOW ANYTHING ABOUT COULD GET OR COULD END RIGHT HERE.

WE DON'T KNOW.

>> WELL, I GUESS WE'LL HAVE TO STAY TUNED, AS THEY SAY, RIGHT, WILL?

>> YEP.

>> OKAY.

THANK YOU SO MUCH, ALWAYS WELCOMED INFORMATION.

APPRECIATE YOU COMING IN.

>> MY PLEASURE.

>> TONIGHT ON THE NEWS HOUR, THE SUPREME COURT RULES THAT STATE S CANNOT DISQUALIFY DONALD TRUMP FROM THE PRESIDENTIAL BALLOT.

THAT'S COMING UP AT 6:00 ON ARIZONA PBS.

>>> IN 2022 ARIZONA SAW A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN NEW HIV INFECTIONS.

RATES THAT OUR STATE HADN'T SEEN SINCE THE '90s.

NOW AN ASU RESEARCHER IS HELPING THE CITY OF PHOENIX THROUGH A GLOBAL INITIATIVE TO END THE HIV EPIDEMIC BY THE YEAR 2030.

ANGEL AGOREN, AN ASSISTANT PROFESSOR WITH ASU EDSON SCHOOL OF NURSING AND HEALTH INNOVATION.

WELCOME.

>> THANK YOU.

>> LET'S START WITH THE GLOBAL INITIATIVE THAT YOU WERE RECENTLY APPOINTED TO THE CITY OF ARIZONA'S AD HOC COMMITTEE.

YOU CAN EXPLAIN THE INITIATIVE FIRST.

>> YEAH, SO THE INITIATIVE REALLY BRINGS TOGETHER STATE ACADEMIC COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO TALK ABOUT DIFFERENT SOLUTIONS TO HOW WE CAN END THE HIV EPIDEMIC IN OUR RESPECTIVE CITIES.

AND SO WE REALLY FOCUS ON TESTING, HIV TESTING, TRYING TO GET PEOPLE TO 90% FOLKS KNOWING THEIR HIV STATUS.

90% OF THOSE WHO ARE HIV POSITIVE ON ANTIVIRAL THERAPY AND 90% OF THESE ARE VIRAL SUPPRESSED.

AND THE LAST ONE IS OUR ZERO STIGMA CAMPAIGN, MEANING TO HAVE NO STIGMA THAT'S OCCURRING WITH PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV.

>> SO YOU MENTIONED 90% THREE TIMES.

DO YOU KNOW WHERE PHOENIX FALLS OR ARIZONA FALLS IN RELATION?

BECAUSE I GOT ON THE DASHBOARD, AND GRANTED, I DIDN'T SPEND A LOT OF TIME ON IT, BUT I COULDN'T NECESSARILY FIND A LOT OF NUMBERS.

>> YEAH.

SO IT'S LOOKING PRETTY BLEAK IN REACHING THAT 90%.

BUT I'M ALWAYS OPTIMISTIC IN FINDING NEW SOLUTIONS.

BUT FOR VIRAL SUPPRESSION, IT'S A LITTLE BIT OVER 50%.

I THINK IT'S ACTUALLY 56%.

>> WHY DID YOU WANT TO BE INVOLVED IN THE COMMITTEE?

>> YEAH.

SO I WANTED TO BE INVOLVED IN THE COMMITTEE BECAUSE EVER SINCE I WAS A KID GROWING NEW A SMALL RURAL TOWN, AS A GAY LATINO, I WAS TOLD THAT GAY FOLKS ACQUIRE HIV, AND THAT'S PART OF WHAT HAPPENS.

AND I WANTED TO FIGHT THAT STIGMA.

I KNEW THAT THAT WASN'T NECESSARILY TRUE.

AND IN EVERY COMMUNITY THAT I'VE BEEN A PART OF, ACADEMIC -- THE ACADEMY HAS TAKEN ME TO MANY DIFFERENT PLACES FROM KENTUCKY TO MIAMI, FLORIDA, TO SAN DIEGO, NOW HERE IN ARIZONA.

I THINK THE BEST WAY TO BE ABLE TO FIGHT THE HIV EPIDEMIC IS REACHING OUT TO OUR LOCAL COMMUNITIES AND UNDERSTANDING WHAT'S GOING ON.

>> SO WHEN YOU SAY "REACHING OUT," AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE COMMITTEE'S WORK, YOU KNOW, WE OFTEN HEAR THAT, COMMUNITY OUTREACH, AND SERVICES.

WHAT CHOOSE TO MEAN?

LIKE CAN YOU GIVE AN EXAMPLE OF SOMETHING THAT'S TANGIBLE THAT I CAN VISUALIZE OR ALL OF US CAN?

>> YEAH.

SO AS PART OF MY WORK AT ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY, I HAVE MY LAB WHICH IS STIGMA AND HIV-RELATED HEALTH LAB.

AND IN THE STATE, ACTUALLY THE ONLY SORT OF STATISTICS THAT THEY ARE CAPTURING ON HIV ARE, YOU KNOW, THE NUMBER OF NEW CASES AND WHAT THESE CASES LOOK LIKE.

HOW THEY'RE TRANSMITTED.

AND THEN FOR PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV WHERE THEY FALL ON THAT HIV CASCADE OF WHETHER THEY'RE VIRALLY SUPPRESSED, BUT DON'T REALLY TALK ABOUT BEHAVIORAL ASPECTS.

SO WE HAVE WORKED WITH FOLKS OVER AT EMORY UNIVERSITY WHO DO THE AMERICAN MEN'S INTERNET SURVEY YEARLY WHICH IS AN ONLINE SURVEY THAT'S COMPLETELY ONLINE AMONG MEN WHO HAVE SEX WITH MEN, WHICH IS THE HIGHEST RISK POPULATION.

AND WHAT WE DID ACTUALLY IS WE LOOKED AT SPECIFICALLY THE STATISTICS AROUND OUR ARIZONA MEN WHO HAVE SEX WITH MEN, AND SO WE'VE COMPILED ONE PAGE REPORTS AND A FULL REPORT THAT IS ACCESSIBLE ON OUR WEBSITE THAT PEOPLE CAN ACCESS FREE OF CHARGE.

AND SO YOU CAN SEE A BETTER PICTURE.

AND SO WE HAVE BEEN SPREADING THAT THROUGH OUR SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGNS.

WE'VE BEEN SPREADING THAT THROUGH DIFFERENT SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS OVER AT 1 AND 10.

BUT REALLY REACHING OUT TO THE COMMUNITY WHERE THEY'RE AT.

>> WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO PEOPLE WHO MAYBE DO NOT FEEL DIRECTLY IMPACTED BY HIV OR AIDS?

WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO THEM FOR THEM TO CARE ABOUT THE INITIATIVE AND MAYBE WANT TO SUPPORT IT?

>> YEAH.

YOU MIGHT NOT BE DIRECTLY AFFECTED BY HIV OR MAY NOT BE ENGAGING IN HIV-RISK BEHAVIORS BUT SOMEBODY YOU KNOW AND LOVE MAY BE ENGAGING IN THOSE SORTS OF BEHAVIORS.

SO THE MORE YOU EQUIP YOURSELF WITH THAT KNOWLEDGE, THE MORE YOU CAN PREPARE MAYBE THAT PERSON YOU KNOW AND LOVE WITH THAT KNOWLEDGE TO PREVENT THEM FROM ACQUIRING HIV.

>> WHERE CAN PEOPLE GET MORE INFORMATION ABOUT EITHER THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING OR THE FAST TRACK CITY'S ISSUE IN '95.

>> YEAH.

THEY CAN GO TO MY LAB WEBSITE, SHHLAB.COM OR THEY CAN FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM.

THE INITIATIVE, YOU CAN GO ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE.

BUT THERE'S A PLETHORA OF INFORMATION THAT YOU CAN PLUG FLIGHT GOOGLE AND GET CONNECTED TO RESOURCES IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN PRE-EXPOSURE PROPHYLAXIS, WHICH IS A PILL YOU CAN TAKE TO PREVENT THE ACTION OF HIV, AND FOR EVERYBODY OUT THERE, THE CDC RECOMMENDS AT LEAST ONE-TIME IN YOUR LIFE TEST FOR HIV.

SO IF YOU HAVEN'T GOTTEN THE HIV TEST, MAYBE NOW IS THE TIME.

>> THANK YOU FOR COMING IN.

HOW LONG ARE YOU ON THE COMMITTEE, WHAT'S THE TERM?

>> THE TERM, I'M NOT QUITE SURE YET.

UNTIL THEY KICK ME OFF.

>> MAYBE A LONG TIME.

YOU'VE GOT LOTS OF ENERGY.

>> YEAH.

THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU FOR COMING IN.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

>> AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US