Key Takeaways
- The Fresno County Board of Supervisors will vote on placing the Better Roads, Safe Streets measure on the November ballot.
- The coalition collected over 22,000 validated signatures, enough to qualify.
- Some supervisors, including Chair Garry Bredefeld, may request a study that could delay the vote past the August 7 deadline.
- An independent study projects the measure would create 68,000 jobs and generate $13.5 billion in economic output.
- Local Republicans, including Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer, urge the board to respect voter will and avoid delays.
Introduction
On the eve of a critical Fresno County Board of Supervisors meeting, the Better Roads, Safe Streets coalition made a final plea for the board to let voters decide on a transportation sales tax measure. The coalition, which spans the political spectrum, aims to replace Measure C before it expires in 2027. The board’s decision on Tuesday will determine whether the measure appears on the November ballot or faces a potentially fatal delay.
Main Content
The Signature Validation and the Stakes
The Fresno County Clerk’s Office validated over 22,000 signatures, qualifying the measure for the ballot. However, the board must now vote to place it on the November ballot. Any delay, such as requesting a study, could push the decision past the August 7 deadline, risking the measure’s inclusion. If Measure C expires without a replacement, critical funding for roads, sidewalks, and public transit could lapse.
Political Divisions and Calls for Action
Board Chair Garry Bredefeld has suggested he may request a study of the measure’s impact, a process that could take until August 13—too late for the November ballot. Fellow conservative Nathan Magsig has also expressed concerns, seeking clarification on county-specific provisions, including responsibilities for private roadways and prioritizing disadvantaged communities. In an interview on July 10, Magsig said he hopes proponents of the measure will be at the meeting to answer his questions, and that their responses will help him decide whether a study is needed. Meanwhile, Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer and other local Republicans urged the board to set aside political rhetoric and respect democracy. “We are either a government by the people and for the people, or not,” Dyer said. “Set aside the personality conflicts,” he added. “Set aside the political rhetoric. Set aside who might be right or who might be wrong, and let’s do what’s right for the people in Fresno County.”
Economic Impact and Community Support
The Better Roads campaign provided an independent economic analysis by PerberaParis, LLC, projecting 68,000 jobs and $13.5 billion in economic output. The analysis also projects $7.71 billion in value added to the Fresno County economy, more than $5.06 billion in labor income and nearly $2.9 billion in local household spending over 30 years. Joseph Penbera, chairman of PenberaParis, said transportation infrastructure is essential for both residents and businesses. “If you come into a business environment and you see good infrastructure, you can get from one place to another pretty easily, you don’t have to fight traffic or road conditions — then you’re one step ahead. Nothing can happen without the ability to reach the customer and the customer to reach you,” Penbera said. He said improved streets would help businesses by making commercial areas more accessible to customers. Supporters include Mendota Mayor Victor Martinez, whose city suffers from poor pavement, and Clovis Mayor Vong Mouanoutoua, who criticized the opposition as lacking a coalition. Fresno Councilmember Nick Richardson highlighted $75 million annually for infrastructure in Fresno, including free transportation for veterans. Richardson, a U.S. Marine Corps reserve officer, urged detractors not to let perfection “be the enemy of progress.”
Rally and Endorsements
On Monday, July 13, supporters held a rally outside Leadership Counsel for Justice and Accountability in Downtown Fresno, urging the board to advance the measure. Speakers included Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer, Clovis Mayor Vong Mouanoutoua, Mendota Mayor Victor Martinez, Fresno City Councilmember Nick Richardson and Veronica Garibay, co-founder of Leadership Counsel for Justice and Accountability. Supporters said nine of Fresno County’s 15 incorporated cities have endorsed the measure. Dyer said the measure represents an opportunity to strengthen Fresno County’s transportation network. “Better Roads, Safe Streets represents an investment in every part of Fresno County, urban and rural alike. It will help us to repair neighborhood streets, improve major corridors, strengthen public transportation and make our roads safer,” Dyer said.
Rival Measure Draws Fire
Clovis Mayor Vong Mouanoutoua pushed back against criticism of the coalition, contrasting Better Roads, Safe Streets with the competing Fix Our Roads initiative, which is projected to generate about $3.9 billion in revenue over 20 years. “There was a second measure from our opponents. They had no coalition and had paid no attention to process. Is it radical to invite thousands of residents — more than 70 ZIP codes? Is it radical to listen to them and to gather legally necessary signatures and to earn the right to have this measure in front of all the voters in Fresno County?” he said.
Board Votes for Study, Likely Delaying Measure to 2028
On Tuesday, the Fresno County Board of Supervisors voted 3-2 to order a study on the Better Roads, Safe Streets initiative, effectively preventing it from appearing on the November ballot unless the board speeds up the process. Supervisors Garry Bredefeld, Nathan Magsig and Buddy Mendes voted for the study, while Supervisors Luis Chavez and Brian Pacheco wanted to place the tax before voters in November. With the study slated to take 30 days, it would not be ready for the board to consider until after the Aug. 7 deadline to place measures on the November ballot, pushing the initiative to 2028. The only way for the measure to appear on the November ballot at this point would be if the board called for a special meeting ahead of Aug. 7 to take action.
Much of the hearing focused on the prescriptive measures included in the initiative. Magsig noted that while the county would have access to transportation funding through the initiative – if voters would even approve it – the county needs the study in order to protect itself against any potential litigation that could arise due to the language in the measure. One point of contention for Magsig is the requirement for pavement quality to be at a certain level before the county can use tax funding to widen roads. Another point was that the measure has language regarding when roads can be improved “when feasible.” Magsig said determining which roads are feasible could lead to litigation. “I don’t know exactly how the county is going to be able to fully expend its portion,” Magsig said, referring to the litany of prescriptive rules placed in the ballot measure.
On the other hand, Chavez and Pacheco noted that around 90 county employees may have to be laid off since Measure C is expiring next year. “I want to make sure that folks understand what the consequences of not having this ballot initiative would be out there,” Chavez said.
The vote was contentious, with Magsig identified by his fellow supervisor as the “deciding vote.” He joined his conservative colleagues after asking more than an hour of questions of the Better Roads drafters, concluding that he ultimately felt the measure was overly “prescriptive” to the county. “It’s so prescriptive on how the dollars have to be spent,” Magsig said, “I’m concerned that we open ourselves up to litigation.”
Following the vote, Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer expressed disappointment, calling the decision “voter suppression” in an impromptu gathering outside the Hall of Records. “It’s a shame that that happened today. I really mean that. This is probably — I think this is voter suppression, quite frankly,” Dyer said, “because they did not allow the voters to vote on something that I believe the voters should’ve been able to vote on.” Mendota Mayor Victor Martinez didn’t mince words either as he walked out of the boardroom, calling the board “racists” and the board chair “Garry Bonaparte.” “They didn’t stall this measure that belongs to the people today because they really need a study. They stalled it because they really just don’t like us. They don’t want us to fix our roads,” he said outside the Hall of Records. “The City of Mendota has been forgotten, and they never did (anything) about it.”
While supporters of Better Roads packed the boardroom to capacity, a handful of mayors and consultants also came out to urge the supervisors to delay placing the measure on the ballot. That included political consultant Alex Tavlian, who spoke on behalf of San Joaquin Valley Taxpayers Association. Tavlian was also involved with a group that had announced intentions to gather signatures for a separate ballot measure to rival Better Roads, though the status of those signature-gathering efforts is unknown.
Now, Better Roads’ only path to the November ballot hinges on county staff completing their study quicker than the 30 days they were allotted — though staff told the board that the study likely would take the full time. After that, the board would then have to call a special meeting prior to the Aug. 7 deadline — a responsibility that resides with the board chair, Bredefeld, who has been the most vocal opponent of Better Roads. Under state law, a majority of supervisors also have the power to call for a special meeting. In the absence of those two narrow possibilities, Better Roads likely won’t land on ballots until the March 2028 primary election.
When asked whether the campaign was considering litigation against the county board, Better Roads campaign spokesperson Andy Levine, also a Fresno Unified trustee, said no. “We are incredibly disappointed in the failure of the majority of supervisors to perform their ministerial duty. Of course they had the option of a 30-day study. They’ve had the option of a 30-day study since Jan. 26 of this year, when we filed our measure. … They intentionally waited until today to start this as a way to run out the clock on the Aug. 7 deadline for ballot placement,” he said. “At this point, the decision has been made, and we are calling on the county staff who will be completing this study to complete the study but do it efficiently and in advance of the Aug. 7 deadline for qualifying for the November ballot,” he added, “to then call for a special meeting so that voters are not denied this opportunity to be able to decide this themselves.”
During the meeting, Fresno County Registrar of Voters James Kus presented a certificate of sufficiency confirming the initiative had gathered the roughly 21,000 signatures required to qualify for the ballot. The meeting drew a packed crowd and, at times, heated exchanges. Bredefeld stated, “The measure is full of promises about street and road repair that will not happen. It's really a public transportation tax disguised as a roads tax.” Clovis Mayor Pro Tem Dianne Pearce opposed the measure, saying, “I'll even give them the benefit of the doubt and say they have the best of intentions, but the road to hell is paved with good intentions. But if this measure were to pass, that road wouldn't get paved at all.”
Bredefeld defended the delay, saying the board has a responsibility to independently evaluate the long-term effects of the proposed tax before placing it before voters. He criticized the campaign, saying it was backed by “well, rich out-of-town elites” and argued a professional analysis should have been completed before the measure reached the board. “Because they delayed the process does not mean we should abdicate our very critical and important duty to ensure that we have professionals analyze this 30-year measure and provide the information to our board and our public as to how this measure will impact development,” Bredefeld said.
Chavez opposed delaying the measure, calling transportation funding one of the county’s most contentious issues in recent years. He said failure to approve a replacement funding source could result in about 90 county employees losing their jobs. No matter what side of the political aisle one might be on, “everyone wants their damn roads fixed,” Chavez said. “This is about people. How do we make our roads safer for people? How do we make sure that we have public transportation that’s reliable for the seniors that go to their doctor appointments,” he added.
Campaign manager Andy Levine said the Better Roads, Safe Streets campaign was disappointed by the board’s decision, noting more than 22,000 signatures were gathered to qualify the initiative. “The Board of Supervisors have had this measure since January. We strongly urge the Board to expedite this 30-day study and immediately schedule a special meeting ahead of the strict August ballot deadline,” Levine said in a statement.
Local California Context
Fresno County faces significant infrastructure challenges, with some of the worst pavement conditions in the state, particularly in cities like Mendota. The Better Roads measure would provide dedicated funding for roads, sidewalks, and public transit across the county, addressing long-standing needs in both urban and rural areas.
Background
Measure C, a 40-year transportation sales tax, was approved by Fresno County voters in 1986 and is set to expire in 2027. The Better Roads, Safe Streets coalition formed to propose a replacement, gathering signatures from over 70 ZIP codes to ensure broad community input. The current board debate reflects ongoing tensions between conservative supervisors and the coalition’s bipartisan supporters.
Conclusion
The Fresno County Board of Supervisors’ decision on Tuesday will shape the future of transportation funding in the county. A vote to place the measure on the ballot would allow voters to have their say in November. Delays risk losing critical funding and undermining the democratic process. Residents are encouraged to attend the meeting or contact their supervisors to voice their opinions.