Jose Solorio, 50, of Santa Ana, has been appointed to the California Water Commission. Solorio has been a Government Affairs Officer at Moulton Niguel Water District since 2018. He was a Santa Ana City Council Member from 2016 to 2020 and from 2000 to 2006, Senior Policy Advisor at Nossaman LLP from 2014 to 2017 and a California State Assemblymember for the 69th District from 2006 to 2012. Solorio was a Marketing Program Administrator and Government Relations Representative at the Orange County Transportation Authority from 1998 to 2006.

Solorio earned a Master of Public Policy degree in government and business policy from Harvard University. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Solorio is a Democrat.

The California Water Commission consists of nine members appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the State Senate. Seven members are chosen for their expertise related to the control, storage, and beneficial use of water and two are chosen for their knowledge of the environment. The Commission provides a public forum for discussing water issues, advises the Director of the Department of Water Resources on matters within the Department’s jurisdiction, approves rules and regulations, and monitors and reports on the construction and operation of the State Water Project. Proposition 1: The Water Quality, Supply, and Infrastructure Improvement Act approved by voters in 2014, gave the Commission new responsibilities regarding the distribution of public funds set aside for the public benefits of water storage projects, and developing regulations for the quantification and management of those benefits. In 2018, the Commission made maximum conditional eligibility determinations for eight projects in the Water Storage Investment Program.  

Here is Solorio’s reaction via Facebook: Thank you Governor Newsom for appointing me to the CA Water Commission! Raised in a farmworker family in Kern County, we always talked about water. Grateful also to Moulton Niguel Water District, Metropolitan Water District of So. Cal., Orange County Water District, Santa Ana Regional Quality Water Board, So. Cal. Water Coalition and City of Santa Ana for the many other insights about water! The Commissioner role is part-time, so I’ll continue working for Moulton Niguel and living in Santa Ana.