Unreported Income of Central Basin Directors Neglected on FPPC Conflicts of Interest Documents
The Central Basin Board, which provides water services to a large portion of Los Angeles County, has been embroiled in controversy since the passing of AB 1794 in 2016, intended to bring stability to the board. However, the opposite seems to have occurred.
In 2024, directors Ochoa and Moreno were appointed to fill the vacancies left by Gualtieri and Bekel. Yet, since their appointment, they have remained on the board illegally, according to recent reports. Both directors have failed to list their reportable income on their FPPC 700 forms, a violation of the Political Reform Act under Government Code Section 91013.
Director Moreno, who also works as an engineer at the city of Vernon, omitted the income from her job on her FPPC-required "assuming office" 700 form. Similarly, President Ochoa failed to report his income from his job as General Manager at Golden State Water on his FPPC-required 700 form.
Golden State Water is a for-profit company serving customers within Central Basin's boundaries, owned by its shareholders through its parent company, American States Water Company. Vernon, also within Central Basin's boundaries, falls under FPPC rules, requiring Moreno to report her income, even though she is on a government salary.
Central Basin Director Juan Garza has also faced scrutiny. He listed La Luz Del Mundo, a mega-church whose leader was charged with 36 counts of heinous sexual acts with minors and sex trafficking, as a client on his 700 form. The charges against the leader were so severe that Netflix made a documentary about the leader and the church.
Garza, Mendez, and Jeng have voiced support for Ochoa and Moreno and have not enforced AB 1794, which states that a vacancy in an office of appointed director should be filled in accordance with the selection process, and the replacement director serves out the remainder of the term.
Since AB 1794 passed, only one of the nine appointed directors has completed their term. The current situation has caused chaos for the Central Basin Board, with Gualtieri and Bekel, both appointed directors, resigning in 2024.
As of now, there is no publicly available information regarding any specific investigation into the income discrepancies of Ochoa and Moreno. However, someone with deep pockets and an attorney could potentially call into question all the board votes made by Ochoa and Moreno due to their illegitimate positions.
The Central Basin Board is scheduled to hold a meeting on April 28, 2023. It remains to be seen how this ongoing controversy will affect the board's operations and decisions moving forward.
[1] Source: July 2025 article
[1] A July 2025 article reported that the Central Basin Board faced continued controversy, as directors Ochoa and Moreno remained on the board illegally due to unreported income in violation of the Political Reform Act.
[2] The article also mentioned that Director Juan Garza, who listed a controversial mega-church as a client on his 700 form, had voiced support for Ochoa and Moreno, preventing the enforcement of AB 1794.
[3] Although there was no publicly available information about an investigation into the income discrepancies of Ochoa and Moreno, the article suggested that potential legal action could challenge the validity of all votes made by these directors, impacting the board's decision-making and operations.
