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Residents urge council to protect Lompoc Library funding amid budget talks
Summary
Multiple residents and library supporters told the council at the June 3 meeting that cuts to the Lompoc Library would harm vulnerable residents and educational programs; no formal budget decision was made at the meeting.
Several residents urged the Lompoc City Council on June 3 to preserve library funding as city staff presented the draft budget and discussed pending cuts.
Leah Schultz, speaking for Friends of the Lompoc Library, told the council the library is “one of the few truly inclusive, accessible, and safe spaces left in our community” and urged officials not to balance the budget at the library’s expense. Schultz cited services including free internet access, homework help, adult literacy programs, job search assistance and community programming.
Another speaker, identified as a retired teacher, described tutoring an eight‑year‑old whose progress improved after staff recommended graphic novels; the speaker emphasized senior outreach and free programming. Molly Terrell, a retired library employee, also urged council support and recounted the library’s “level up” theme for the summer reading program and the range of services the library provides at no cost.
During public comment, speakers linked library services to economic and social benefits such as reduced downstream mental‑health and emergency‑care costs and improved literacy and workforce readiness. City staff noted that the library impact fee remains in place.
Council members acknowledged the public testimony and said they would consider library funding in ongoing budget deliberations; no formal budget vote or directive specific to the library was made at the June 3 meeting.
