Pubdate: Sat, 31 Mar 2001
Source: Santa Barbara News-Press (CA)
Copyright: 2001 Santa Barbara News-Press
Contact:  http://www.newspress.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/393
Author: Molly Machin

THE DAYS OF WINE OR PRISONS IN LOMPOC

The wine industry has discovered that Lompoc is one of the few areas that 
is cool enough and foggy enough to produce the grapes that go into premium 
wines.

While it will take five years for the grapes being planted along Highway 
246 to mature, Lompoc may see economic benefits from the wine industry sooner.

The grape processing plant/wine tasting room proposed for the old Grefco 
site should infuse $50 million into the local economy annually.

According to Vic Motto, industry analyst, most communities welcome the wine 
industry because in the past it has proven to be recession-proof. The wine 
industry is considered a growth industry since beer drinkers are switching 
to wine.

Motto further said that vineyards require extensive capital improvements. 
This translates into jobs and higher property tax revenue to the county.

The other entity looking to expand into Lompoc is The Federal Bureau of 
Prisons. The FBOP proposes to build a 1,000 bed high-security prison, 
adding to the four existing federal facilities in Lompoc. FBOP officials 
are quick to point out that the town will benefit from the $4.1 million in 
salaries generated by the influx of 250 new staff.

If you divide 250 into 4.1 million you calculate that prison employees 
would earn an average of $16,400. These new staffers will not easily fit 
into the local community. According to a 1999 market study 23 percent of 
Lompoc residence earn $50,000-$75,000 annually. The average selling price 
of a home is $166,000.

While expansion of grape farming in Lompoc Valley represents little risk to 
public safety, the same is not true of a new prison.

At any given time, 10 percent of prison populations test positive for 
illegal drugs. Prison officials must concede that a criminal element has to 
at least pass through Lompoc to supply illegal drugs to inmates. It is no 
coincidence that the seven inmates who recently went on a crime spree 
escaped from a prison in Texas.

Construction of a high-security prison would be bad for Lompoc and bad for 
Santa Barbara County. Tell the FBOP to build the new facility in one of the 
14 states that have no federal prison or reopen the federal prison in Boron 
that was recently mothballed.

Molly Machin, Lompoc
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jo-D