Measure M is a $160 million school bond measure on the ballot for voters in the Lompoc Unified School District.
"I'm speaking today as a person who has worked in public schools for decades and I see the need that we have here in Lompoc Unified to upgrade our schools," said Clara Finneran, Lompoc Unified School District Superintendent.
Finneran says the passage of Measure M is essential for the modernization of Lompoc’s schools.
“Our most significant needs are related to infrastructure. So things like roofing, electrical upgrades. We also have some significant safety needs, so we have needs for cameras and fencing," she said.
"You kind of get used to it," Cabrillo High School Principal Brian Grimnes said of the 60-year-old campus. "It doesn't stand out to you as much anymore when things begin to deteriorate over time.”
In the choir room water seeps into brick walls due to roof wear. Other issues include aging benches, missing blinds, and uneven paths that aren’t ADA-accessible.
According to Finneran, problems like these are common across all 16 campuses and building new schools isn't feasible.
"It's very, very expensive to, to build new schools," Finneran said. "Like many of us, we would like a new home, but that's very expensive and cost-prohibitive, so the dollars would allow us to upgrade rather than build new.”
While there are many "Yes on M" signs around Lompoc, not everyone is on board. Lompoc resident Carol Hadley says she has already voted no on Measure M.
“The pictures that they showed, they're just minor things," Hadley said. "They need to show something that's a little bit larger for the $160 million.”
As a property owner, she’s also concerned about taxes going up.
“We're paying enough now. I'm a retired person on a strict income, and all of these taxes, you know, we have too many people that are older and can't survive," Hadley said.
This is the fifth time this measure has gone before voters.
In order to pass, it would need 55% voter approval. If passed, Fineran says they could start improvements by late spring of 2025.
