Santa Maria and Lompoc may be just 30 minutes apart but to some, its funding plans for public safety, city jobs and looming Calpers debt, feels worlds apart.
Despite being more than $3 million in the red, the Lompoc City Council majority have long maintained that officials need to balance the budget before bringing a sales tax into the mix.
However, for those pushing for the opportunity to vote on the issue, what just happened in Santa Maria will likely be brought up at the next budget workshop as an example, fueling pressing questions.
The Lompoc City Council just received a finalized copy of the draft 2019-2021 Biennial Budget Tuesday and City Manager Jim Throop is hopeful that this upcoming Monday, officials will be able to move on with an adopted version and have a discussion on sales tax.
"If we can do what Santa Maria did, finalize that, that would be great to get it on a ballot at some point in the near future and it will hopefully solve some of our issues," said Throop.