Southern California Physician - http://www.socalphys.com/article
OCMA Legislative Committee Makes Recommendations to CALPAC
http://www.socalphys.com/article/articles/690/1/OCMA-Legislative-Committee-Makes-Recommendations-to-CALPAC/Page1.html
By OCMA Staff
Published on 03/1/2008
 
OCMA Staff

 

The OCMA Legislative Committee, chaired by William E. Callahan, Jr., MD, met on the morning of January 30, 2008 to interview candidates for Assembly Districts 71 and 73. After listening to the responses of each candidate, the committee voted to recommend to CALPAC that it support Neil Blais for the District 71 Assembly seat and Diane Harkey for the District 73 Assembly seat.

Neil Blais -- Neil Blais is a Republican candidate for the 71st Assembly District. He serves as president and CEO of Blais & Associates, a professional grant management firm. Prior to joining Blais & Associates, Mr. Blais was the general manager of state and local government operations for ABS Consulting (formerly EQE International), an international engineering firm. In this role, Mr. Blais led a team of professionals helping fed_eral, state, and local government in all aspects of emergency management. Mr. Blais began his career in the aerospace industry.

On the political front, on January 1, 2000, a member of the incorporation team, Mr. Blais was elected to the first city council of Rancho Santa Margarita. In 2004, Mr. Blais served as Mayor. His accomplishments as councilman and mayor included creating a non-profit foundation to aid the city in obtaining funding for the construction of a community center. Mr. Blais also created an Economic Development Committee to ensure that the city was responsive to the needs of the business community.

Since 2004, Mr. Blais has served on the Orange County Fire Authority Board of Directors. He also serves on the Foothill Eastern Transportation Corridor Agency, where he is working to ensure the completion of the 241 South.

If elected to the state Assembly, Neil Blais will request to serve on the Health Committee where he has committed to work with doctors to protect MICRA and soften anti-trust laws to give doctors more power to negotiate contracts and improve reimbursement.

Diane Harkey -- Diane Harkey is a council member and former mayor of Dana Point and is a Republican candidate for the 73rd Assembly District. Ms. Harkey, who holds a Bachelor's degree in Economics from the University of California, Irvine, has enjoyed a successful career spanning 30 years in banking and corporate finance. She has been actively involved with political issues throughout most of her adult life.

As a member of the Dana Point City Council, Ms. Harkey has worked to implement a balanced budget and a reserve policy for the city. She has championed efforts to reform government by promoting business development, encouraging regional cooperation and joint-use options to save taxpayer dollars, increasing citizen involvement by promoting new candidates for political office, and working towards commonsense solutions to growth and development.

Ms. Harkey also serves on many boards and commissions including the League of California Cities, San Joaquin Hills Transportation Corridor Agency, Orange County Council of Governments and the Investment Review Committee.

Diane Harkey is running unopposed in the race. She supports MICRA, increased competition for insurers, increasing access to care, and fair payment to doctors.
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Sidebar: OCMA Legislative Committee Meets

The OCMA Legislative Committee will meet on Monday,
March 17 at 6:00 p.m. at the OCMA offices. Diane Harkey, candidate for the 73rd Assembly District seat, and Neil Blais, candidate for the 71st Assembly District seat, have been invited to attend. This meeting is open to the OCMA membership. Please RSVP to Linda Johansen by calling (714) 978-1160 x203 or by e-mailing her at ljohansen@ocma.org.

OCMA Legislative Committee supports Neil Blais and Diane Harkney for Assembly seats.
The OCMA Legislative Committee, chaired by William E. Callahan, Jr., MD, met on the morning of January 30, 2008 to interview candidates for Assembly Districts 71 and 73. After listening to the responses of each candidate, the committee voted to recommend to CALPAC that it support Neil Blais for the District 71 Assembly seat and Diane Harkey for the District 73 Assembly seat.

Neil Blais -- Neil Blais is a Republican candidate for the 71st Assembly District. He serves as president and CEO of Blais & Associates, a professional grant management firm. Prior to joining Blais & Associates, Mr. Blais was the general manager of state and local government operations for ABS Consulting (formerly EQE International), an international engineering firm. In this role, Mr. Blais led a team of professionals helping fed_eral, state, and local government in all aspects of emergency management. Mr. Blais began his career in the aerospace industry.

On the political front, on January 1, 2000, a member of the incorporation team, Mr. Blais was elected to the first city council of Rancho Santa Margarita. In 2004, Mr. Blais served as Mayor. His accomplishments as councilman and mayor included creating a non-profit foundation to aid the city in obtaining funding for the construction of a community center. Mr. Blais also created an Economic Development Committee to ensure that the city was responsive to the needs of the business community.

Since 2004, Mr. Blais has served on the Orange County Fire Authority Board of Directors. He also serves on the Foothill Eastern Transportation Corridor Agency, where he is working to ensure the completion of the 241 South.

If elected to the state Assembly, Neil Blais will request to serve on the Health Committee where he has committed to work with doctors to protect MICRA and soften anti-trust laws to give doctors more power to negotiate contracts and improve reimbursement.

Diane Harkey -- Diane Harkey is a council member and former mayor of Dana Point and is a Republican candidate for the 73rd Assembly District. Ms. Harkey, who holds a Bachelor's degree in Economics from the University of California, Irvine, has enjoyed a successful career spanning 30 years in banking and corporate finance. She has been actively involved with political issues throughout most of her adult life.

As a member of the Dana Point City Council, Ms. Harkey has worked to implement a balanced budget and a reserve policy for the city. She has championed efforts to reform government by promoting business development, encouraging regional cooperation and joint-use options to save taxpayer dollars, increasing citizen involvement by promoting new candidates for political office, and working towards commonsense solutions to growth and development.

Ms. Harkey also serves on many boards and commissions including the League of California Cities, San Joaquin Hills Transportation Corridor Agency, Orange County Council of Governments and the Investment Review Committee.

Diane Harkey is running unopposed in the race. She supports MICRA, increased competition for insurers, increasing access to care, and fair payment to doctors.
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Sidebar: OCMA Legislative Committee Meets

The OCMA Legislative Committee will meet on Monday,
March 17 at 6:00 p.m. at the OCMA offices. Diane Harkey, candidate for the 73rd Assembly District seat, and Neil Blais, candidate for the 71st Assembly District seat, have been invited to attend. This meeting is open to the OCMA membership. Please RSVP to Linda Johansen by calling (714) 978-1160 x203 or by e-mailing her at ljohansen@ocma.org.