Councilman Named to 2 State Panels

City Councilman Glen Becerra has been appointed to two criminal justice committees by outgoing Gov. Pete Wilson this week. But with a Democrat coming into the governor’s office for the first time in 12 years, Becerra said he is not kidding himself that his appointments are secure.

It is the first time a Simi Valley council member has attained such a high-level position, City Manager Mike Sedell said.

“I think it’s definitely beneficial when our voice is heard in Sacramento,” Sedell said.

The committees, the California Council on Criminal Justice and the State Advisory Council on Juvenile Justice and Delinquency, advise the state Office of Criminal Planning on policy matters.

More important, Becerra said, the committees make decisions on how state and federal money for crime prevention is spent.

“I think that’s important,” he said. “It’s one thing to come up with an idea . . . but if you don’t have the means to fund it, it’s meaningless.”

Committee appointments such as Becerra’s typically are given to a governor’s political allies, friends or supporters. Becerra served as an aide in Wilson’s office in the mid-1990s.

Becerra said he received a call Wednesday from Sacramento telling him of the appointments. He now hopes he won’t receive a second call from incoming Democratic Gov. Gray Davis undoing what was just done. When Davis takes office he will want to make many of his own appointments.