Joe Salama, who is running for the Marin Healthcare District board against two incumbents, faces an uphill battle in his attempt to unseat opponents Ann Sparkman and Hank Simmonds in the Nov. 6 election.
Salama, who unsuccessfully ran for the same position in 2010, has said he wants to make the hospital district’s finances more transparent and has publically critiqued his opponents. He has appeared to take an anti-bond stance in his campaign, according to an article on the Marin Independent Journal.
The district has been polling voters to gauge support for a $350 bond measure that could be on the ballot next year. The fund would help pay for a new hospital building at Marin General, an estimated $500 million project, according to the IJ.
On his Facebook page and Patch candidate profile, Salama has positioned himself against the bond. “The district board plans to put a $300-$500M bond/tax on the ballot next year,” he wrote. “We need to re-evaluate expenses.”
Sparkman and Simmonds told the IJ they hope to help win voter approval of the bond next year. The district also has to make sure all of the hospital is seismically sound by 2020.
Here's a quick look at the three candidates for two seats on the Marin Healthcare District board in the Nov. 6 election:
Mr. Joseph Salama
Also known as : Joe
Age : 41
Place of residence : San Rafael, CA
College : UC Berkeley
Degree : BA in Economics
Year of graduation : 1993
Graduate School: Boston University School of Law
Area of research : Dispute Resolution
Year of graduation : 1996
Party affiliation : Libertarian
Previous elective offices : NA
Website : http://www.salama4health.com
Facebook : http://www.facebook.com/salama4health
Ms. Ann Sparkman
Age : 59
Place of residence : 6 Endeavor Drive, Corte Madera CA 94925
College : University of California, Berkeley
Degree : Bachelor in Zoology
Year of graduation : 1975
Grad school: University of San Francisco Law School
Area of research : Law
Year of graduation : 1987
Job titles held : Currently the Deputy Campus Counsel for Health Affairs, University of California, San Francisco; past titles included in-house counsel
Employers : Past employers include Kaiser Permanente, Medical Malpractice Defense (both in-house and in private practice) and healthcare law (both in -house and private practice).
Party affiliation : Democrat
Incumbent: Yes
Website : www.savemgh.com
Dr. Harris Filgate Simmonds M.D.
Also known as : Hank
Age : 73
Place of residence : San Rafael, California
College : UCLA
Degree : BA
Year of graduation : 1963
Grad school : UCLA Medical School
Year of graduation : 1967
Job titles held: Has been on medical staff at the Marin General Hospital since 1971, served as Chief of Medical Staff 1983-85, Chief Dept Ob/Gyn, Advisory Board Planned Parenthood, American Cancer Society
Has served in the military: Yes
Rank : Specialist E-4
Date when discharged from duty : 24 August 1959
Party affiliation : nonpartisan
Running for a: Local office
Incumbent: Yes
First elected: 06 November 2008
