California Assemblyman Simon Salinas '78 has been named Legislator of the Year by the League of California Cities, an honor he received during the organization's recent annual meeting in Long Beach. In his first term, Salinas was a co-recipient of the award with fellow assemblyman Kevin McCarthy of Bakersfield.
Salinas was honored for his support of local government on a variety of issues throughout the legislative session. Organizers commended Salinas' "leadership and resolve in advocating for realistic and practical solutions to the affordable housing issues in California," and credited him as a "consistent and passionate supporter of local government."
Salinas, who has lived most of his life in the area that shares his surname, grew up around agribusiness and on the farm, and began his public service career in 1989, when he became the first Mexican-American elected to the Salinas City Council.
Novato mayor Pat Eklund, League of Cities president, said that California cities are fortunate to have legislators like Salinas. "Their advocacy on behalf of key issues for local government reflects their commitment to strong communities and a high quality of life for California residents," she said. "We applaud their efforts."
Salinas received a bilingual teaching credential from San Jose State University in 1981 and, in 1984, earned his JD from Santa Clara Law School. At CMC, he double-majored in political science and Latin American Studies.
"You have to step up and give people the sense that they can believe in a system," Salinas has said of holding public office, "and then they will participate."