John L. Varela
CA · Director, District 1, Santa Clara Valley Water District
John L. Varela has held this seat since his appointment in December 2015 and is a former Morgan Hill mayor and councilmember. He serves on the district's agricultural water advisory committee and the Pajaro River Watershed Flood Protection Authority.
Where John L. Varela stands, based on their records
Supports
Environment and Public Health (1 record)
Opposes
Cost of Living Reduction (1 record), Government Spending Reduction (2 records)
Mixed record
Public Infrastructure (7 support · 1 oppose)
Track record
Track record — Environment and Public Health
Environment and Public Health · 1 support
Voted to set a water conservation goal of 126,000 acre-feet a year by 2050. It passed 4-3, after he voted against sending it back to committee.
July 9, 2024Supports Environment and Public Health
Source: scvwd.legistar1.com
Track record — Cost of Living Reduction
Cost of Living Reduction · 1 oppose
Seconded and voted for higher groundwater, surface water, treated water and recycled water charges for 2024-25. They passed 6-1.
May 14, 2024Opposes Cost of Living Reduction
Source: scvwd.legistar1.com
Track record — Government Spending Reduction
Government Spending Reduction · 2 oppose
Voted to adopt Valley Water's 2024-25 operating and capital budget and the property tax levy for state water costs. It passed 6-1.
May 14, 2024Opposes Government Spending Reduction
Source: scvwd.legistar1.com
Voted against dropping the Pacheco Reservoir project from a federal loan request (failed 3-4). He then voted for seeking up to $2.5 billion in federal WIFIA loans, which passed 5-2.
December 13, 2022Opposes Government Spending Reduction
Source: scvwd.legistar1.com
Track record — Public Infrastructure
Public Infrastructure · 7 support · 1 oppose
Seconded and voted for an agreement with San Jose on the proposed San Jose Purified Water Project. It passed 6-1.
January 27, 2026Supports Public Infrastructure
Source: scvwd.legistar1.com
Moved and voted to approve the Coyote Creek Flood Protection Project in San Jose and certify its environmental report. It passed 6-1.
March 11, 2025Supports Public Infrastructure
Source: scvwd.legistar1.com
Moved and voted to pay up to $9,690,000 for 2026-27 planning work on the Delta Conveyance Project, the state's Delta tunnel. It passed 6-1.
January 14, 2025Supports Public Infrastructure
Source: scvwd.legistar1.com
Moved and voted to award a $129,274,180 contract to Granite Rock Company for Phase 2B of the Upper Llagas Creek flood project in Morgan Hill. It passed 4-3.
August 13, 2024Supports Public Infrastructure
Source: scvwd.legistar1.com
Voted against dropping the Pacheco Reservoir project from a federal loan request (failed 3-4). He then voted for seeking up to $2.5 billion in federal WIFIA loans, which passed 5-2.
December 13, 2022Supports Public Infrastructure
Source: scvwd.legistar1.com
Seconded and voted for extending Valley Water's long-term contract for State Water Project supplies (Amendment No. 24). It passed 6-1.
December 12, 2018Supports Public Infrastructure
Source: scvwd.legistar1.com
Cast the only vote against paying $1,092,975 toward planning costs for California WaterFix, the state's Delta tunnels plan. It passed 6-1.
August 14, 2018Opposes Public Infrastructure
Source: scvwd.legistar1.com
Voted for early agreements to expand Pacheco Reservoir, including a land purchase option with Pacheco Pass Water District. Both passed 7-0.
June 26, 2018Supports Public Infrastructure
Source: scvwd.legistar1.com
Track record — General
General · 13 records
Was endorsed by Morgan Hill Mayor Mark Turner, County Supervisor Sylvia Arenas, retired state Sen. Bill Monning and Farm Bureau President Tim Chiala.
October 15, 2026
Source: morganhilltimes.com
Voted to censure fellow Director Rebecca Eisenberg for misconduct. The censure passed 6-1.
March 14, 2024
Source: scvwd.legistar1.com
Voted against a rule to have the vice chair move up to chair each year. It failed 3-4.
August 22, 2023
Source: scvwd.legistar1.com
Was elected chair of the Valley Water board for 2023 in a unanimous vote.
January 10, 2023
Source: scvwd.legistar1.com
Endorsed Director Gary Kremen's 2022 reelection and gave $100 to Kremen's 2022 assessor campaign while serving on the ethics committee investigating Kremen. Two colleagues said that was a conflict. Varela did not comment.
October 22, 2022
Source: sanjosespotlight.com
Took over the board chair's duties as chair pro tem after Chair Gary Kremen handed them off. The board also named him to a three-member board conduct committee.
March 16, 2022
Source: scvwd.legistar1.com
Voted to put a measure on the June 2022 ballot raising the board's term limit from three to four four-year terms. It passed 4-3.
February 22, 2022
Source: scvwd.legistar1.com
Voted to accept a project labor agreement with the Santa Clara and San Benito Counties Building Trades Council for Valley Water construction projects. It passed 6-1.
January 11, 2022
Source: scvwd.legistar1.com
Seconded and voted to keep the current Open Space Credit, a water charge discount for farmland, for two more years. It passed 4-3.
April 23, 2019
Source: scvwd.legistar1.com
Was elected chair of the Valley Water board for 2017 on a 7-0 vote.
January 10, 2017
Source: scvwd.legistar1.com
Was sworn in for a Valley Water board term running to December 2020, after winning the November 2016 election for the District 1 seat.
December 13, 2016
Source: scvwd.legistar1.com
Was elected vice chair of the Valley Water board for 2016 in a unanimous vote.
January 12, 2016
Source: valleywater.org
Was appointed to the Valley Water board to fill the open District 1 seat. He got four of the six directors' votes in the final round.
December 10, 2015
Source: morganhilltimes.com
Past race John L. Varela ran in:
- Santa Clara Valley Water District Director, District 1 · November 3, 2026 · Santa Clara Valley Water District Director District 1 · incumbent