Lompoc — Toke of the Town
City Becoming Santa Barbara County's Cannabis Capitol
It wasn’t long ago that Lompoc was a temperance colony — alcohol sales were prohibited. Now, on the city’s main stretch, there is a liquor store or bar on almost every corner.
A new prohibition is about to lift — the one on pot. Grappling with the extent of cannabis sales to allow, the Lompoc City Council decided last week to adopt a very minimalistic ordinance. They are not going to limit the number of dispensaries, and they said yes to all types of businesses, from cultivation to retail to manufacturing to marijuana-smoking lounges. Most city leaders in California see Amsterdam-like cafés as a nonstarter.
Like many California cities, Lompoc is struggling with high employee pension costs. The city’s unfunded liability amounts to $68 million. In addition, Councilmember Jim Mosby recently led the charge to stop any new taxes from being placed on the ballot. There has been a perception that the city could be forced into bankruptcy, but Mayor Bob Lingl said: “We are so far from bankruptcy it’s laughable,” adding, “We are doing extremely well.” He did, though, acknowledge the pension problem.
