79% of Tulare County Newsom Recall Signatures Are Valid

Tulare County has finished the first round processing of signatures collected to recall Gov. Gavin Newsom.

The county received 36,298, verifying 79% as valid.

“Our county has completed all first level verifications and is in the process of conducting a second level review on challenged signatures in accordance with California’s Signature Verification, Ballot Processing, and Ballot Counting (Emergency Regulation),” the Tulare County election office said.

Final certification of the signatures to the Secretary of State is expected by the due date of April 19. The SOS then has 10 days to review all the 58 county numbers.

Proponents need valid 1.4 million signatures statewide. The SOS is scheduled for an update on April 19.

The next step would be to start a 30 business day clock for petition signers to change their minds.

Also in Politics 101: 

• Gavin’s Law Tries Again
• No attorney fees owed in Measure P case.
• River board reacts to new legislation.
• New job for former Fresno city manager.

Gavin’s Law Passes First Checkpoint of Second Attempt

Assemblyman Jim Patterson is trying again to increase penalties for hit and run drivers.

Named for Gavin Gladding, a Clovis Unified principal killed in a hit-and-run accident while out for a jog, would increase the maximum penalty from four years to six.

Last year, “Gavin’s Law” passed the assembly, but failed in the Senate Public Safety committee. Patterson, R-Fresno, reintroduced his bill as AB 582.

On Tuesday, it passed the Assembly Public Safety committee, and next heads to the appropriations committee.

Mike Osegueda — promoter of the popular Fresno Street Eats events — testified in favor. His sister Courtney died in a hit-and-run accident in Oakland.

No Attorney Fees in Measure P Case

When the state Supreme Court declined to hear the Measure P case, it left an appeal court ruling in place that the Fresno tax measure for parks passed.

City voters favored Measure P in 2018 with 52% support. At the time, it was interpreted that it did not pass because it did not receive two-thirds. Advocacy group Fresno Building Health Communities sued, and eventually won.

But, there was one question left to answer — who would be responsible for attorney fees? Would it be the city, which technically was the other party but did not put up a case? Or would it be the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, which intervened on behalf of the city?

“We entered into an agreement at the start that no one would seek attorney fees,” HJTA attorney Tim Bittle said.

The 3/8 of a cent sales tax will start July 1.

River Board on Possible Change

The San Joaquin River Conservancy Board briefly discussed proposed legislation that would change the makeup of the governing agency.

Assemblyman Joaquin Arambula, D-Fresno, introduced AB 559 which would expand the board by two members to 17, and change some of the requirements for picking local members.

Brett Frazier, a member of the board representing the Madera County Board of Supervisors, questioned the logic of adding more members.

“We’re waiting 15 minutes for one person to show up so that we can have a quorum… My thoughts are just keep it simpler and then we can move forward,” Frazier said.

Frazier was more amenable to lifting a residency requirement for one board position of having to live on the river bottom. Madera County has had trouble in the past filling its nomination for a citizen representative.

Mike Karbassi, chairman of the board representing the Fresno City Council, commented about the governor picking the new positions.

“I’m very concerned about losing local control because we’ve made so much progress, at least for me, ensuring that we can have more residents be able to utilize the river. And I want us not to forget that,” Karbassi said.

Arambula’s bill passed the Assembly Natural Resources Committee on March 24 and heads to the Governmental Organization committee. No date has been set for the next hearing.

Quan’s New Job

Wilma Quan

Wilma Quan, the former city manager of Fresno, was hired in a similar role in Fowler.

Her first day was March 1 after city council approval on Feb. 16 with a 5-0 vote.

Quan was not retained by incoming Mayor Jerry Dyer, who picked Thomas Esqueda as his city manager. She also applied for a management job with Fresno County but was not selected.

Fowler will pay Quan $157,107 base salary a year, plus benefits.

Related Story: Mayor-Elect Dyer Builds His Team, Prepares to Take City’s Helm