Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility
Campaign to Sell Fresno State Sales Tax to Voters Kicks Off: 'This is Our University'
gvw_nancy_price
By Nancy Price, Multimedia Journalist
Published 2 years ago on
August 16, 2022

Share

 

The campaign for a countywide sales tax hike to benefit Fresno State officially kicked off Tuesday morning with supporters saying that the future of Fresno County and the Valley depends on the university’s ability to educate tomorrow’s leaders and workforce.

Three Fresno State alums — Jim Yovino, the Fresno County superintendent of schools, Marc Johnson, the former superintendent of Sanger Unified School District, and Dora Westerlund, CEO of the Fresno Area Hispanic Foundation — talked about the importance of their Fresno State education to them personally as well as the school’s role in educating tomorrow’s nurses, engineers, and ag industry leaders.

No Fresno State officials spoke or appeared at the news conference. The university has not publicly taken a position on the proposed sales tax.

The measure’s chief backer is local developer Richard Spencer. Campaign finance reports for the Fresno State Improvement Zone Committee show that Richard F. Spencer and Affiliates has contributed $366,654.60 so far, including $110,000 on Monday.

If Measure E passes, backers estimate it would raise $36 million yearly, or $720 million over 20 years. The revenue would be used to expand access to Fresno State’s nursing, agriculture, criminology, and engineering/STEM programs; repair and upgrade academic and other facilities, including men’s and women’s athletic facilities; and provide scholarships for local low-income students.

Requires a Simple Majority to Pass

Because it is a citizens’ initiative, not proposed by local government, the proposed sales tax would only need a simple majority of yes votes in November’s election to pass.

Johnson acknowledged that county residents already face a high sales tax, which includes taxes for Measure C for county transportation and Measure Z for the Fresno Chaffee Zoo.

“But our need in this region is extremely high as well. And so, we’re in a situation where now the voters have the ability to decide, the ability to choose,” he said. “And my question would be, are our children worth that investment? My answer is yes.”

But the investment in Fresno State also would benefit children from other counties whose parents would not be paying the additional sales tax unless they visit Fresno County.

The university’s enrollments in the spring of 2022 included students from as far north as Shasta County and as far south as San Diego County.

While 56% of Fresno State’s students come from Fresno County, 82% come from the broader six-county region of the Valley (Fresno, Madera, Kings, Tulare, Merced and Mariposa), university spokeswoman Lisa Bell told GV Wire Tuesday.

In addition to spending money on facilities improvements, Measure E revenues would also be used for scholarship assistance for low-income students.

‘This Is Our University’

Eighty percent of Fresno State’s graduates “stay here, work here, live here, contribute here, become a part of our Valley,” Johnson said. “The other issue that we grappled with is, how broad do you go to seek support for this? And we felt it was incumbent upon us, since we see the lion’s share of the benefit, we simply say, it’s time. This is our university.”

Johnson said his daughter, also a Fresno State alum, questioned whether the state of California and not Fresno County voters should be responsible for providing money for building upgrades and scholarships.

“And my answer was yes. And many others have asked the same question,” he said. “But let’s deal with reality, whether it’s in the K-12 system, the community college system, and especially at the university level, the state’s contribution towards maintenance of facilities and expansion of facilities has always been less than adequate.”

But whereas school districts and community college systems can ask voters to approve bond measures and pay higher property taxes in exchange for facility improvements, public universities in California don’t have that same option, Johnson said.

Measure E will be competing for voter approval on November’s ballot with the controversial renewal of Measure C and a new sales tax in the city of Fresno to benefit veterans, Measure V.

“I won’t speak about those other initiatives. I will simply say I believe this one is critically important that we invest in because it will impact the economy of this region,” Johnson said. “Fresno State is the engine that drives our economy. It has been and will continue to be. And investing here will support an improved economy in this region and allow us to address other needs as they surface.”

Citizens Oversight Committee Would Approve Spending

Local political consultant Tim Orman, who is spearheading the campaign, said after the news conference that a five-member citizens oversight committee that would be established if Measure E passes would be responsible for determining how the money is spent, not Fresno State or the California State University system.

“It’s crucial that, once this passes, that we have the Board of Supervisors select the right people to fill those five positions, that have the wherewithal and ability to make those kind of decisions, and work with Fresno State to find out what their needs are, and do it in an open and public fashion, to figure out what projects and what priorities go when,” he said.

RELATED TOPICS:

DON'T MISS

From Blue Cheese to Bacon: Peanut Butter Pairings That Will Shock You

DON'T MISS

Challengers Seek Seats on Tulare County Irrigation District Boards

DON'T MISS

Shy Pup Finds Hope with Foster Family, Evasion from Euthanasia

DON'T MISS

Does Dill Have Magical Powers? What People Once Believed Food Could Do

DON'T MISS

Let’s Keep Innovative Partnerships Crucial to Combating Climate Change: Fresno Dairy Manager

DON'T MISS

Immediate Threat: Mussel Invades California’s Delta, First Time in North America

DON'T MISS

Two-Time Cy Young Winner Blake Snell Opts Out of Contract with Giants

DON'T MISS

No Matter the Outcome, We Are the True Losers of This Election

DON'T MISS

Russia’s Swift March Forward in Ukraine’s East

DON'T MISS

Rapper Young Thug Is a Free Man. Here Are Things to Know About His Plea.

UP NEXT

Shy Pup Finds Hope with Foster Family, Evasion from Euthanasia

UP NEXT

AMOR Wellness Trunk-or-Treat Brings 700 Mendota Residents Together for Halloween Fun

UP NEXT

What Kind of Trouble Is Miguel Arias Trying to Stir Up This Time?

UP NEXT

Fresno Man Shot to Death at NW Apartment Complex Is Identified

UP NEXT

SJV Water Founder Lois Henry Receives Prestigious Reporting Award

UP NEXT

Local Candidates Make Final Pitches at Fresno Hispanic Foundation Event

UP NEXT

MAGA Hats OK at Polls, but Electioneering Is Strictly Prohibited

UP NEXT

Bulldogs’ DB Cam Lockridge Is Ballin’ Out, Has Sights Set On NFL

UP NEXT

Fresno Man Indicted on Federal Charges After High-Speed Ghost Gun Chase

UP NEXT

Fresno Unified Schedules Community ‘Listening Sessions’ with Trustees

Nancy Price,
Multimedia Journalist
Nancy Price is a multimedia journalist for GV Wire. A longtime reporter and editor who has worked for newspapers in California, Florida, Alaska, Illinois and Kansas, Nancy joined GV Wire in July 2019. She previously worked as an assistant metro editor for 13 years at The Fresno Bee. Nancy earned her bachelor's and master's degrees in journalism at Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism. Her hobbies include singing with the Fresno Master Chorale and volunteering with Fresno Filmworks. You can reach Nancy at 559-492-4087 or Send an Email

Does Dill Have Magical Powers? What People Once Believed Food Could Do

5 hours ago

Let’s Keep Innovative Partnerships Crucial to Combating Climate Change: Fresno Dairy Manager

6 hours ago

Immediate Threat: Mussel Invades California’s Delta, First Time in North America

18 hours ago

Two-Time Cy Young Winner Blake Snell Opts Out of Contract with Giants

19 hours ago

No Matter the Outcome, We Are the True Losers of This Election

19 hours ago

Russia’s Swift March Forward in Ukraine’s East

19 hours ago

Rapper Young Thug Is a Free Man. Here Are Things to Know About His Plea.

19 hours ago

AMOR Wellness Trunk-or-Treat Brings 700 Mendota Residents Together for Halloween Fun

19 hours ago

What Kind of Trouble Is Miguel Arias Trying to Stir Up This Time?

19 hours ago

MrBeast Probe Ends With Some Employees Fired but Finds No Proof of Sexual Misconduct Allegations

20 hours ago

From Blue Cheese to Bacon: Peanut Butter Pairings That Will Shock You

Peanut butter is a childhood staple for many in the United States. Whether it’s a classic PB&J sandwich, a fluffernutter, cookies ...

4 hours ago

4 hours ago

From Blue Cheese to Bacon: Peanut Butter Pairings That Will Shock You

4 hours ago

Challengers Seek Seats on Tulare County Irrigation District Boards

4 hours ago

Shy Pup Finds Hope with Foster Family, Evasion from Euthanasia

5 hours ago

Does Dill Have Magical Powers? What People Once Believed Food Could Do

6 hours ago

Let’s Keep Innovative Partnerships Crucial to Combating Climate Change: Fresno Dairy Manager

18 hours ago

Immediate Threat: Mussel Invades California’s Delta, First Time in North America

19 hours ago

Two-Time Cy Young Winner Blake Snell Opts Out of Contract with Giants

19 hours ago

No Matter the Outcome, We Are the True Losers of This Election

Search

Send this to a friend