Deciding to forgo a special election, Santa Ana City Council members voted 4 to 2 late Tuesday to appoint attorney Vincent Sarmiento to serve the 21 months remaining in the term of Jose Solorio, who recently was elected to the Assembly.
Sarmiento, who served on the city's Community Housing and Redevelopment Commission, said he hoped to advance the city's redevelopment plans, which include land between the city's downtown and train station along Santa Ana Boulevard.
"I think, more than anything, I have some experience, talent and skills that I can lend to the city to help it progress," Sarmiento said. "I'd like to see the council take a real leadership role on issues having to do with redevelopment."
Sarmiento, 42, a Democrat, immigrated to Santa Ana from Bolivia when he was a year old. He has a bachelor's degree from UC Berkeley and a law degree from UCLA. He and his wife have three children, ages 7, 4 and 1.
