On May 5, the Lompoc City Council received a sobering presentation by interim Fire Chief Kevin Shay. Chief Shay reported that the Lompoc City Fire Department has the two busiest fire stations in Santa Barbara County. The three fire units and nine crew members respond to more than 5,300 calls for service each year—that’s an […]
Ron Fink
Posted inOpinion
Lompoc City Council has a potentially costly rebate program audit and investigation on its hands
The city of Lompoc, like almost every other government from the federal level down to small towns like ours, has a problem managing how tax money is distributed to folks applying for rebates, grants, or any other form of government subsidy. This time it’s Lompoc’s conservation rebate program that’s being examined for what some think […]
Posted inLetters To The Editor
It’s not wise to cut the Sheriff’s Office’s budget
First let’s stipulate that the primary duty of government is to ensure the safety of the public and provide a robust utility infrastructure and a serviceable road system. Public safety includes a police function, district attorney, jails to house those convicted of violating the laws, fire protection, and emergency medical service. Everything else government does […]
Posted inOpinion
Sinking ship: Politicians are swamping the state’s financial future
If I were a state or local government employee in California, I would be concerned about my future retirement plan. Many local governments are suffering budget deficits; we read about these budget shortfalls regularly as revenue (tax-based funds) decreases and expenses increase. The Independent Institute’s website says, “Legislative analyst Gabe Petek, in his overview of […]
Posted inOpinion
Lompoc Councilman Steve Bridge’s fraud case moves forward, exposing layers of alleged deception
In 1808 Sir Walter Scott wrote, “Oh what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive!” The preliminary hearing for Lompoc City Councilman Steve Bridge for multiple felonies and a few misdemeanors related to the receipt of reimbursements from the city of Lompoc has produced just such a tangled web concerning how […]
Posted inOpinion
Lompoc school district should not support student walkouts at the expense of education
On Jan. 30, high school and junior high students in Lompoc and other parts of North County took part in demonstrations against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), (“Local high school students take part in nationwide walkouts to protest ICE,” Feb. 5). The Lompoc Record reported that “at Lompoc High School, students were released early […]
Posted inOpinion
Take the time to acknowledge the contributions of early Black leaders
Many people would have us believe that it was an exclusive “club” of rich white men that founded our country. They would be wrong. Many textbooks omit the achievements of our Black founders. Most people don’t know that scores of African Americans made significant contributions to the founding of our nation. Let’s look at some […]
Posted inOpinion
A new Lompoc tax for streets, sidewalks, and alleys is needed
Lompoc is probably the pothole paradise of the county. The city staff estimates that there is a maintenance backlog of more than $70 million needed to bring all city streets up to acceptable service levels. I live on a cul-de-sac that is just one block long. There are well over a dozen potholes on our […]
Posted inOpinion
Will Lompoc miss the brass ring once again when it comes to capitalizing on Vandenberg’s potential?
Vandenberg Space Force Base (VSFB) has issued a request for information for a major new launch complex on South Vandenberg near Point Arguello Coast Guard Station, about 2 miles south of Space Launch Complex (SLC) 6. Dubbed SLC-14, according to the Space Force solicitation, Vandenberg “seeks to establish operational heavy or super-heavy launch capabilities at […]
Posted inOpinion
Shortsighted politicians never consider the impacts of their decisions
What do you do when you have a significant government budget deficit? If you are a politician in Santa Barbara County or the governor of California, you double down on shutting off revenue flows. Both the state of California and Santa Barbara County are facing significant budget shortfalls; according to the state Legislative Analyst’s Office, […]
Posted inOpinion
Reflect on the most wonderful time of the year before 2026
Well, the Christmas parades are behind us; all the Christmas displays are up and running, and the Lompoc City electric division is counting more revenue from all those home-lighting themes. When I was young, Christmas morning was the long-awaited culmination of a boy’s hopes and dreams. We saw angels, mangers, tumbleweed snowmen, and Santa’s sleighs […]
Posted inOpinion
Lompoc citizens deserve trustworthy leaders
Political history was made during the public comment period at the Lompoc City Council meeting on Dec. 2. It wasn’t the kind of history any city would be proud of. I have been commenting on the political scene in Lompoc for more than three decades in various publications. During this time, there have been numerous […]
