Simon Salinas

Former Supervisor Salinas served on the following Monterey County committees:

  • Alternative Energy Committee; Capital Improvement Committee

  • Equal Opportunity CommitteeHealth and Human Services Committee

  • Urban/County Community Development Block Grant Committee

  • Water Resources Joint Boards Leadership Committee

Furthermore, he represented the County of Monterey on the following agency boards:

Natividad Medical Center Board of Trustees, Association of Monterey Bay Area Governments (AMBAG)

Transportation Agency for Monterey County (TAMC)

Emergency Communications Policy Advisory Council

Emergency Medical Services Committee

Monterey Bay Unified Air Pollution Control District

President of Salinas Valley Solid Waste Authority

Chair of Monterey County Children and Families Commission also known as First 5 Monterey County

Local Agency Formation Commission of Monterey County (LAFCO)

 

Education:

Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Latin American Studies from Claremont McKenna College

Bilingual Teaching Credential from San Jose State University

Juris Doctorate from Santa Clara University School of Law

Former elementary school teacher and professor at Hartnell Community College

 

Salinas began his public service career in June 1989 when he was elected as the first Mexican-American to serve on the Salinas City Council.  During his tenure with the City Council, Salinas served as Mayor Pro-Tem.  In 1993, Salinas was elected to represent District One on the Monterey County Board of Supervisors and became the first Mexican-American to serve on the board in over 100 years.  He was re-elected in 1997 and served as Chair of the Board of Supervisors in 1998.

In 2000, Salinas was elected to the California State Assembly as the representative of the 28th District. He served as the Chair of the Local Government Committee, as well as Chairing the Select Committee on Rural Economic Development.  His impressive record in the Assembly included passing legislation that addressed the issues of public safety, affordable housing, agriculture, healthcare, government transparency, education, transportation, and local government.  For his leadership on these and many other issues, he was named “Legislator of the Year” by numerous organizations, including Skills USA-VICA, the California Transit Association, the League of California Cities, and the American Planning Association. As a former supervisor, he received honorary recognition from the California Migrant Education Program, Community Action Partnership, and the Association of California Healthcare Districts.

Salinas was re-elected in November 2006 to the Monterey County Board of Supervisors; this time representing the Third District. Reflecting the most pressing needs of the Third District, former Supervisor Salinas concentrated his efforts on community safety, economic development, health care, affordable housing, transportation, and agricultural viability.  He served as Chair of the Monterey County Board of Supervisors in 2010 and began a new four-year term on January 11, 2011.