VOTE411 Voter Guide

Shall the measure, known as the LOMPOC STREET REPAIR AND MAINTENANCE MEASURE, with all funds legally restricted to be used exclusively to maintain, repair, and rehabilitate existing Lompoc city streets, roads, alleys, and related existing infrastructure, establishing an additional 0.5% sales tax, expiring after 15 years, subject to annual audit and public accountability requirements, and raising approximately $3.75 million annually, be adopted?★★★ IMPORTANT ★★★EXPAND this compressed “About This Race” window (by clicking "Read More") for valuable information. Don't miss it!MEASURE B ESSENTIALS ☆Placed on the Ballot By: Lompoc City CouncilMeasure Type: SalesTax"Yes" Votes Needed to Pass: 66.67% of the total votes cast on the measure by eligible voters.☆ QUESTION ON THE BALLOT ☆Shall the measure, known as the LOMPOC STREET REPAIR AND MAINTENANCE MEASURE, with all funds legally restricted to be used exclusively to maintain, repair, and rehabilitate existing Lompoc city streets, roads, alleys, and related existing infrastructure, establishing an additional 0.5% sales tax, expiring after 15 years, subject to annual audit and public accountability requirements, and raising approximately $3.75 million annually, be adopted?☆ WHAT YOUR "YES" OR "NO" VOTE MEANS ☆A “YES” vote is a vote to approve the 0.5% special transactions and use tax.A “NO” vote is a vote against the 0.5% special transactions and use tax.……………………………………………………………….................................★ OFFICIAL INFORMATION ★The source of this information is documents on the Lompoc City Clerks Webpage.☆ BALLOT TITLE ☆The Lompoc Street Repair and Maintenance Measure (Measure B)☆ IMPARTIAL ANALYSIS ☆The Lompoc Street Repair and Maintenance Measure (“Measure”), if approved by the voters at the June 2, 2026 special election, would establish a temporary 0.5% special transactions and use tax (i.e. sales tax) within the City of Lompoc, with all revenues from the tax legally restricted to be used exclusively to maintain, repair, and rehabilitate existing Lompoc streets, roads, alleys, and related existing infrastructure, as described below. The tax is temporary and will end in fifteen (15) years.Because it is a special tax under Article XIIIC of the California Constitution, the Measure must be approved by at least two-thirds (66.67%) of the voters voting on the Measure.If approved, the Measure would adopt Ordinance 1741(26) establishing the special sales tax, which would be administered by the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration under contract with the City of Lompoc. The special sales tax would apply to taxable retail sales in the City and to certain purchases for use in the City, generally subject to the same exemptions and exclusions as the State sales and use tax. The application of the tax is determined under State law and CDTFA regulations.Revenues from the tax are legally restricted to be used for maintenance, repair, rehabilitation, and reconstruction of existing public streets, roads, and alleys, and for repair or replacement of existing sidewalks, storm drains, and roadway drainage infrastructure when directly related to a street, road, or alley repair funded by the Measure.The Measure provides for deposit of revenues into designated account(s), an independent annual audit, and annual reporting to the City Council pursuant to Government Code section 50075.3 on revenues and expenditures and the status of authorized projects. The City Council would serve as the oversight committee in public meetings subject to the Brown Act.The Measure was placed on the ballot by the Lompoc City Council.A “YES” vote is a vote to approve the 0.5% special transactions and use tax.A “NO” vote is a vote against the 0.5% special transactions and use tax.The above statement is an impartial analysis of the Measure. If you desire a copy of the ordinance or measure, please call the elections official's office (City Clerk) at (805) 736-1261 and a copy will be mailed at no cost to you.Dated: February 17, 2026s/ Jeff M. MalawyCity AttorneyCity of Lompoc.☆ ARGUMENTS ☆NOTE: Ballot arguments are the opinions of the authors and have not been fact-checked by any official agency..Argument in Favor of Measure BMeasure B is a fair and balanced plan with revenues only to be used for maintenance, repair, rehabilitation, and reconstruction of the City's public streets, roads, alleys, sidewalks, storm drains, and roadway drainage infrastructure.Most importantly, Measure B will collect money from all the people who use, shop, and drive in the City of Lompoc, not just the residents of the City. It is estimated that nearly 50% of the money collected will come from consumers who live outside the City limits.All of the money from Measure B stays in Lompoc with the City getting the benefit of the tax. Sacramento and Santa Barbara County politicians cannot take the money to fix their budget mess.Projects supported by Measure B will make our roads, sidewalks, and alleys safer for motorists, bicyclists, and pedestrians. Currently, 78% of our alleys and 52% of our streets are considered to be in poor or very poor condition.Measure B will also ensure that our City roads and alleys are in good condition during emergencies, helping our police, firefighters, and ambulances respond quickly.Measure B revenues can also be used to leverage or match state, federal or regional grants or funding programs.Please join me in voting YES for Measure B to improve our local streets, sidewalks, and alleys. James I. Mosby, Mayor of the City of Lompoc.Argument Against Measure BYes, our streets desperately need work. Driving down many of our streets and alleys, you can feel it in your steering wheel. Even your car’s tires and suspension are disappointed with these conditions. I do not question the problem; I question the risk of this specific measure.Because this is a "special tax," it requires a two-thirds vote (66.67%) to pass. That is an incredibly high bar. Across California, communities have seen these measures fail even with 60% or 65% support. In Plumas, Ferndale, and Fresno County, a clear majority voted "yes," yet the cities walked away with zero dollars. If 60% of Lompoc supports this in June, it still fails, and we get no progress.Putting every new dollar into a 15-year silo sounds simple, but real life isn't. Running a city is like running your household; you plan for the roof, but you must be ready if the car breaks down. Locking these funds away for over a decade means we cannot pivot if we face a recession or a public safety emergency. Good planning means keeping tools in the toolbox, not tying our hands.We can prioritize streets without this "all-or-nothing" gamble. A general tax in November requires a simple majority to pass. With that same 60% support, the measure succeeds. We can mandate public oversight while keeping the flexibility to protect essential services. Let’s choose the path that delivers results and secures the funding our streets deserve.Jeremy Ball – Lompoc City Council Member.☆ FULL TEXT OF THE MEASURE ☆.The full text of the measure may be found on the Lompoc City Clerks Webpage