The Lompoc Street Repair and Maintenance Measure, aimed at funding repairs and maintenance for the city’s streets, appeared headed to defeat Tuesday night.
Measure B2026 was on the primary election ballot to establish a temporary 0.5% special sales tax for the city, raising the rate from 8.75% to 9.25%.
In semi-official election night results, the sales-tax increase was supported by only 46.6% of voters, while 53.4% were opposed.
The measure needed two-thirds approval establish a temporary special sales tax.
The funds would then be used only to maintain, repair and rehabilitate Lompoc streets, roads, alleys, sidewalks, storm drains and roadway drainage.
If approved, the tax measure would be in place for 15 years and generate an estimated $3.8 million more annually for the city, Noozhawk has reported.
Additionally, the tax would go into effect as early as October or as late as January, Lompoc community relations manager Emily Prueitt told Noozhawk.
Critics and supporters of the tax agree that Lompoc roads are in need of repairs, but disagree on certain aspects of the the special tax measure.
According to Lompoc Mayor James Mosby, 78% of the city’s alleys and 52% of streets “are considered to be in poor or very poor condition,” he wrote in support of the measure.
Mosby also added that not just Lompoc residents would be contributing to Measure B but rather anyone who uses, shops and drives in the city.
“It is estimated that nearly 50% of the money collected will come from consumers who live outside the city limits,” he wrote.
Mosby also noted the fact that those generated funds would stay in Lompoc and go towards repairing city streets.
Lompoc City Councilman Jeremy Ball, while agreeing with Mosby about the conditions of the streets, voiced his concerns about “the risk of this specific measure,” since it needs 66.67% approval.
“That is an incredibly high bar,” he wrote. “If 60% of Lompoc supports this in June, it still fails, and we get no progress.”
Ball referenced other California communities who tried similar measures but failed even with majority support.
He also criticized the 15-year duration of the tax, worried that “locking these funds away for over a decade means we cannot pivot if we face a recession or public-safety emergency.”
Check back with Noozhawk for updates to this story and other election results.
The Santa Barbara County Elections Office released semi-official election night results late Tuesday and will have updates in the coming days as additional ballots are processed and counted. The county needs to certify the June 2 election results by July 2.
