Maron Picked for Tobacco Funds Panel

An influential health care committee that will guide the spending of $260 million in tobacco settlement funds will very likely be headed by David Maron, who led the charge to stop a private hospital from wresting the money from county control.

Community Memorial Hospital, sponsor of a failed November initiative that sought to give the tobacco dollars to private hospitals, called the move “divisive” and said it would prolong conflict between the county and Community Memorial administrators.

But Steve Bennett, the supervisor who appointed Maron to the post, said he didn’t see the move as controversial and was merely appointing someone who has “shown a real passion for the issue of public health.”

The committee is expected to wield considerable influence in determining how supervisors distribute an estimated $11 million that flows into the county’s treasury annually from the settlement of a national lawsuit against major tobacco sellers. A $15.3-million pot has accumulated in a trust fund and is expected to be doled out by supervisors after the health care committee makes recommendations.

One of the funding possibilities, previously backed by the supervisors, is to share some of the money with private hospitals, including Community Memorial.

Nominations to the health care committee include members appointed by each of the five supervisors and six at-large members from various interest groups, including charitable organizations, labor and mental health. Supervisors are expected to approve the nominations at their Tuesday board meeting.

Private hospitals are represented by Robert Shaw, chief executive officer of Los Robles Regional Medical Center in Thousand Oaks, Supervisor Frank Schillo’s appointee, and Dr. Daniel Takeda of Simi/Moorpark Family Medical Group, Supervisor Judy Mikels’ appointee. Community Memorial Hospital has no representative on the proposed panel.

Bennett said he chose Maron because he was bright, hard-working and “an ally of public health.” He said Maron would be open to sharing with private hospitals.

“We can find win-wins in terms of partnering with private hospitals and can find some ways to address some of the unfair things [like having to pay for indigent care] that happen to private providers,” Bennett said.

But a spokesman for Community Memorial said that by selecting Maron--the former head of the Coalition Against Measure O--supervisors are indicating they don’t want to cooperate.

The board wants to “continue on a war footing,” spokesman Mark Barnhill said. “I don’t see how that’s productive.”

Maron was out of town Friday and could not be reached for comment. Supervisor Kathy Long said she was pleased by the selection of Maron.

“I think that’s wonderful he [Bennett] chose David Maron, because he put his heart and soul into fighting Measure O, and because he believed in the public process,” she said.