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 he and his family conduct business.
These actions are related to utility rebates for work performed for the Odd Fellows Lodge and a music business co-owned by one of Bridge’s sons.
Bridge was originally charged with complaints alleging submittal of altered or false documents to the city of Lompoc to support utility reimbursement for electrical upgrades and water leak repairs. The District Attorney later amended the filing to add “failure to secure workers compensation insurance by an unlicensed contractor”; those employees, it turns out, included his sons.
Based on testimony in court so far, this appears to be tangled web of actions weaved to deceive.
As the case proceeded in court, his sons were summoned to testify to various charges involving their father. As they were questioned, it appears that they also may need legal representation for their involvement in the alleged crimes of their father.
The Santa Maria Times reported it this way, “Deputy District Attorney Brian Cota’s line of questioning suggested potential involvement by Scott Turner and Brandon Bridge in the financial practices under scrutiny,” (“Questioning extends to Bridge’s sons Friday, prompts call for legal representation,” March 20).
Concerning the allegation that Bridge had personally benefited from the Utility Rebate program, the Times report said that Randall Sena, owner of Certain Sparks Music, “confirmed that a city credit of nearly $4,917 appeared on the Certain Sparks utility account, which he had personally confirmed with the city, for an amount that Bridge, a cosigner on the music school’s bank account, paid to himself,” (“Invoices, rebate filings are focus of Bridge preliminary hearing Thursday,” March 20).
To further complicate matters, the Times reported, “It was also noted that in efforts to respond to the prosecutor’s subpoena ahead of the hearing, Sena reached out to Bridge who largely completed the task—including producing the legal declaration, which Sena simply signed and submitted to the District Attorney’s Office.”
Qualification for a rebate on projects like these requires submitting invoices by a licensed contractor; neither Steve Bridge nor his sons are licensed contractors, and the contractor ID number they submitted had been issued to someone else and had been expired for more than three decades.
Noozhawk has reported that “Steve Bridge’s attorney, Michael Scott, asked whether Brandon Bridge had been told that the work needed to be done by licensed contractors. The son answered no,” (“Case Against Lompoc Councilman Focuses on Invoices, Other Documents,” March 24).
Brandon Bridge is a city planning commissioner, and as such he should be familiar with the use of the city of Lompoc website to acquire such information.
The city conservation webpage, which has a rebate application form for both water leaks and lighting upgrade projects, clearly states, “To qualify for this rebate, the lighting (or leak repair) project must be performed by a contractor with an active license, in good standing with the California Contractors State License Board (CSLB).”
How this case will finally play out and whether Steve Bridge or his sons will be found guilty of anything are open to debate. One thing is certain though: Based on testimony in court so far, this appears to be tangled web of actions weaved to deceive.
Ron Fink writes to the Sun from Lompoc. Send a letter for publication to letters@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in April 2 – April 9, 2026.