| Why are you running for office? |
| I want to continue building on the recent improvements and investments we are making in Lompoc. Council is working well together, under my leadership, by taking positive steps to recover from the prior ten years of combative leadership which worked to de-fund of the city. Dedicated, proven leadership is needed to bring success to Lompoc, and I am committed to building trust, integrity and community for all our residents. Lompoc deserves a mayor that loves and believes in the best for it, which I do, so I want to continue working to make sure everyone here has the opportunity to succeed. |
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| What makes you qualified for the job? |
| I have been on council since 2016, and mayor since 2018. I have worked consistently to improve council as well as identify and increase the revenues needed to invest in Lompoc. Positive changes have begun in the past two years without my opponent on the council. Having worked through the negative stressful years and witnessed the damage firsthand done by a lack of belief and investment in our city, I do not want our community to experience that again. I have taken a diverse group of elected officials and shown that compromise, respect, and inclusivity is the right leadership to bring about the best for Lompoc. |
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| What are your two main priorities if you win? |
| My first priority is to continue investing in public safety to rebuild the trust and security of our residents and businesses. I am endorsed by Lompoc Police Officers Association, Sheriff Bill Brown, and the Lompoc Firefighters Union who are our partners in addressing these concerns. The next highest priority is to rebuild and improve our 200 acres of public parks and expanding our recreation programs, so our children have safe and secure places to play and learn. Tackling these priorities will enable Lompoc to address so many other issues that are impacted by the state of these two areas. |
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| How will you collaborate with other governments? |
| I will continue to build on the relationships I have developed with all levels of our governments. Currently I am endorsed by four of the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors, work well with our current and incoming state legislators, as well as meeting regularly with our federally elected officials. Lompoc received its first US Congressional Appropriations in decades from Congressman Carbajal as a result of the relationships built over the past six years by myself and staff. Not only are the relationships with our other elected officials important but we need to work with their staff at all levels. Lompoc city staff have worked to improve those relationships under my tenure, and it shows by the cooperation we are seeing at all levels. Nothing is accomplished in a vacuum especially for a community that needs so much improvement and had so little for too long. Partnerships are key to Lompoc's success, and I am committed to collaboration. |
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| What do you think are the two biggest issues that need to be addressed right away? |
| The first major issue we need to address is continuing to reduce crime such as gun and drug trafficking, illegal fentanyl sales leading to overdoses, and gang influences on our youth. The other big issue we need to address is providing for and reducing the impact of homelessness for those experiencing it as well as its impact on local businesses, neighborhoods and parks. Work has already begun in all these areas with partnerships at all levels of government, non-profits, and residents but it will take continued work and more than we are currently doing to see a permanent change. For instance, I, along with the Lompoc Police Chief, participate on Sheriff Bill Brown's Project Opioid organized to address the illegal fentanyl issues both in Lompoc and the region. As part of the larger plan to address homelessness, I supported and worked with the New Beginning Safe Parking Program to expand in Lompoc and provide a city owned property as the first location for services. |
