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 […]
Ron Fink
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 […]
Posted inOpinion
Thanksgiving is a time for celebration, not acrimony
Thanksgiving is the time of year when we sit back, smell the turkey, stuff ourselves with too much good food, and then reflect on the good things that have happened to our families in the last year. Sometime during the day’s festivities—amid the turkey feast, football, and basketball games on TV, and visiting with family […]
Posted inOpinion
Lompoc’s school district is failing the community
The Lompoc Unified School District (LUSD) is failing our community when objectively measured against the state of California education standards. Keep in mind that California rates in the bottom third of the nation, and the LUSD performance is well below that. A recent report in the Santa Maria Times put it this way, “Results from […]
Posted inOpinion
Vandenberg’s Space Launch Complex 6 is poised for a modern facelift
Space Launch Complex 6 (SLC-6) has been around for several decades. First built for the Manned Orbital Laboratory in the 1960s, a project that was canceled 50 years ago, it was later modified for the space shuttle, which was canceled in 1989. Other projects followed, and they too were canceled or completed. Fast forward to […]