Lompoc Mayoral and Council Candidates Discuss Housing, Roads, and Revenue at Forum

About 100 Lompoc residents packed a forum Thursday night to hear two mayoral candidates and four City Council hopefuls discuss housing, road repairs, and revenue sources. Incumbent Mayor James Mosby faces a challenge from Councilman Jeremy Ball for the two-year mayoral term. In District 2, incumbent Victor Vega is running against housing site manager Sharlameigne Segovia. District 3 features registered nurse Sarah Anne Read and business owner Nick Gonzales competing for the seat being vacated by Dirk Starbuck.

The candidates spent more than two hours addressing questions on youth programs, public safety, economic development, and the long-debated tension between preserving farmland and expanding housing. Ball emphasized infill development and converting empty buildings, saying the city needs urban lofts and reimagined downtown spaces for young and single residents. He argued that limited housing inventory has driven up rents and that simply building on farmland is not the full answer. Mosby countered that Lompoc should annex the 200-acre Bailey Avenue Corridor west of the city, noting that other cities have been allowed to build on agricultural land. He said affordable houses in Lompoc have become an endangered species.

Road Funding and Revenue Sources

On road repairs, Vega said Lompoc's pavement condition falls below the halfway mark on the index scale and that a tax measure would likely be needed to bring in sufficient funds. He suggested the city could be more frugal with contracting bids and referenced state legislation allowing solid waste funds to help pay for street work. Segovia said she would not delay projects but opposed raising taxes before exploring other options, suggesting conversations with large companies like Chick-fil-A, Vallarta Supermarkets, and SpaceX about what they can contribute to the community.

The American Association of University Women's Lompoc-Vandenberg Branch organized the forum with several partner organizations. A video recording is available on the City of Lompoc's YouTube channel. For more on local government and upcoming decisions, visit /news.

Facts via Noozhawk.