State Legislature
In 2000, Salinas ran for the California state Assembly. After winning the Democratoc primary, he won an expensive, hard-fought general election against Republican Jeff Denham, who went on to be elected state Senator in 2002. Salinas was sworn in to represent the 28th District in the California State Assembly on December 4, 2000. He authored legislation addressing issues in affordable housing, agriculture, healthcare, public safety, transportation, local government, and education. For his legislative efforts on these and other issues, he was named “Legislator of the Year” by a few organizations that include Skills USA-VICA, California Transit Association, the League of California Cities, and the American Planning Association.
In Salinas's first year in the Legislature, he sent 11 bills to the Governor and 9 were signed into law. Salinas served as the Chair of the Local Government Committee and as a Member of the Agriculture, Education, Health and Housing, Community Development Committees and other non-profit organization. He was Chair of the Select Committee on Rural Economic Development and vice president and co-founder of Caminos Del Arte, a non-profit organization that provides services for at-risk youth.
As an assembly member, Salinas was a supporter of the 2006 bond measures. He was also a supporter of raising taxes, universal healthcare, improving social services, closing loopholes in Proposition 13, and independent redistricting.
Read more about this topic: Simon Salinas
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