Lompoc City Council passes a one-percent sales tax increase for the next ballot to help fix a multi-million dollar budget deficit.
At Thursday's meeting, the measure passed with a 5-0 vote.
The city is currently facing a lack of funding, including more than a dozen openings in the Lompoc Police Department.
In June, the Lompoc City Council passed a new budget with $3 million in cuts. That decision froze positions at the Lompoc Police Department, cut $700,000 of overtime for the fire department, and cut a battalion chief and the Lompoc Community Relations Manager/Public Information Officer position. Other positions and resources in the city were also cut thin after the budget was passed.
In past meetings, Lompoc officials have discussed how the budget is also impacting the community.
The Lompoc Accounting Manager Dean Albro says the money would be just enough to keep the city afloat.
The one-percent sales tax will will appear on the March 2020 ballot.
