Article 26 of the U.S. Constitution says, “The right of citizens of the United States, who are 18 years of age or older, to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of age.” In California, “you must be a United States citizen and a resident […]
Ron Fink
Posted inOpinion
Lompoc leaders shouldn’t pursue projects that the county won’t fund
Lost in the drama surrounding the censure hearing for a Lompoc City Council member on Sept. 15 was an agenda item to discuss an additional roadway crossing of the Santa Ynez River. Currently there are already three crossings: one on North H Street, one on Floradale Avenue near the U.S. prison, and one on Highway […]
Posted inOpinion
A dramatic political shift could come to Lompoc with the upcoming election
The 2026 election in Lompoc could result in a dramatic change of political direction in our city. First, the election for mayor pits two former foes for the seat. In 2020 they faced off for the council District 4 seat, and Jeremy Ball won handily by a 600-vote margin. Then in 2024 Jim Mosby, who […]
Posted inOpinion
Lompoc City Council may address its long-brewing political scandal, or is it just electioneering?
So, what’s the Lompoc scandal in question? City Councilmember Steve Bridge faces “20 felonies and five misdemeanors. The charges include allegations of forgery, grand theft, fraudulent claims, identity theft, misappropriation of public funds, and fraudulent use of a contractor’s license number,” (Santa Maria Times, Aug. 13). During the Aug. 18 meeting, City Council members discussed […]
Posted inOpinion
The Lompoc Valley Needs Assessment report was not a reliable indicator of the city’s health
The Lompoc Valley Community Healthcare Organization recently commissioned a report, the Community Health Needs Assessment, to assess the “health and well-being of Lompoc residents through four focus areas: financial stability and affordability, chronic illnesses, behavioral health, and healthy lifestyles.” Did the “organization representatives” have a hidden agenda? And were reports of chronic illness only based […]
Posted inOpinion
Lompoc Fire Department has sounded the alarm for more than a decade and no one answered
“Deferred maintenance” is a term used to define things that need to be done but will have to wait until we can afford it. In government it usually means that they have the funds to fix the roof, but the politicians guiding the use of tax money would rather defer fixing the roof and use […]
Posted inOpinion
South County leaders know nothing about a world without fossil fuels
Imagine a world without fossil fuels; it would be dark, very few people, only foraged food, no houses, nothing but silence and emptiness. This is the world that the movers and shakers in Santa Barbara County and statewide would like to take you to. Their endless assault on the production and use of fossil fuel […]
Posted inOpinion
Sometimes change is good, but seemingly arbitrary changes to city government bring chaos
There may be a political renaissance in the making in Lompoc. Sometimes change is good, and other times it may bring only chaos to a community. For the last couple of City Council meetings, there seems to have been an organized effort to undermine the traditional way our City Council, current and past, has been […]
Posted inOpinion
The state supersedes local control when it comes to ADUs and your quality of life
All you people out there who worked hard all your lives to live in a single-family neighborhood or think you’re safe from increased congestion in a homeowners association (HOA) managed development, get ready for a relatively new state law that can impact your quality of life. On June 10, the Lompoc Planning Commission debated a […]
Posted inOpinion
It will be another few weeks before we learn our next leaders, candidates for local, state, and federal races
As everyone who pays attention to California politics knows, elections are never resolved on Election Day. It’s always weeks and sometimes months before the final tally is complete. But initially, it appears that Democrats are satisfied with the pitiful condition of our state and county as they continue to support politicians who couldn’t care less […]
Posted inOpinion
Lompoc Fire Department’s unresolved ‘at risk’ conditions will only worsen its service over time
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 […]
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 […]
