Image below from Joe Reynolds - Image Title: Norm Katz
Image Info: Norm Katz passed away this week. Norm ran for the board on two different occasions but never won. He also served on the Budget & Finance Committee at one time. Katz was very active in OPA politics back in the time frame of 2004. He was a forward thinker but the board majorities of the time ignored him. For example, Katz was the originator of the idea of the fire department billing insurance companies for ambulance trips. He was ignored, but then years later the board actually pursued the idea and saved hundreds of thousands. Katz never received credit.

Katz also called for the OPA board to become involved in seeking a part of the casino funds for OPA. This was a year or more before the casino legislation was even passed. No one else was even thinking about it. The board ignored him. After passage of the legislation, Katz was part of  a group that successfully lobbied the legislature for a cut of the casino impact funds for OPA after the board voted the county should get all the money and OPA should not receive any money direct.

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