Fresno City Council President Mike Karbassi (center) said he doesn't want to waste taxpayer resources to investigate allegations that Fresno County Supervisor Luis Chavez (right) used city money to support his wife Elizabeth Jonasson Rosas' city council campaign. (GV Wire Composite/Paul Marshall)

- Fresno City Council President Mike Karbassi said he doesn't want to investigate allegations of misuse of public funds.
- A complaint says former City Councilmember Luis Chavez used city money to support his wife's race for his vacated seat.
- Karbassi says staffers caught using city resources to support a political candidate during work hours would be punished.
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Fresno City Council President Mike Karbassi says he doesn’t want an investigation into alleged misuse of taxpayer funds by former city councilmember and current county supervisor Luis Chavez.
“It’s not surprising that (Mike Karbassi) doesn’t want to look into the situation all that closely because he may not want to find out what’s going on, if he doesn’t already know.” — Former Assemblymember Juan Arambula
Karbassi said allegations from former state Assemblymember Juan Arambula and long-time community activist Luisa Medina were made to advance their preferred candidate, Brandon Vang, in Tuesday’s council District 5 special election.
“I’m not going to waste taxpayer resources investigating rumors that have no credible source,” Karbassi told GV Wire on Thursday. “That’s what’s happening, these are all rumors.”
Karbassi has endorsed Elizabeth Jonasson Rosas, who is Chavez’s wife, for the vacated District 5 seat. Jonasson Rosas is a Fresno Unified board trustee.
Arambula and Medina say in their complaint that “there is substantial reason to believe” Chavez used district funds to support his wife’s campaign to fill his former seat.
Chavez has rebutted the allegations in the letter, saying “no city funds were used for political purposes in the district.”
Arambula Responds to Karbassi’s Comments
Informed that Karbassi opposes an investigation, Arambula told GV Wire on Friday morning: “It’s not surprising that he doesn’t want to look into the situation all that closely because he may not want to find out what’s going on, if he doesn’t already know.”
Arambula, who is also a former Fresno County supervisor and Fresno Unified trustee, said the complaint letter wasn’t personal and Chavez and Jonasson Rosas are “good people.”
Said Arambula: “This seat could well affect a lot of issues coming before the city council for years to come, and it’s an important issue. I think Karbassi is looking at it from a political perspective and not from a good government perspective.”
Related Story: Did Chavez Use Public Funds to Support Wife’s Campaign? Arambula Asks for ...
Medina was not immediately available for comment Friday morning.
Chavez and Karbassi Have Ties to Same Political Consultant
Medina and Arambula also allege that a district communications/outreach contract with political consultant and digital news editor Alex Tavlian of the San Joaquin Valley Sun was geared to help the Jonasson Rosas campaign. Tavlian has not responded to multiple requests for comment.
Chavez signed two $100,000 contracts with Tavlian in 2024. One of those contracts — inked in December 2024 — was made after Chavez secured his supervisor position and extends through December 2025. The contracts are paid for with taxpayer funds.
“Why would I sign a contract if I’m not going to be around to execute it?” Medina said of Chavez on the day the complaint was filed.
City documents also show a $45,000 contract for consulting services between Karbassi and Tavlian that expired near the end of 2023. Local taxpayers funded that contract as well.
Related Story: Fresno Supervisor Luis Chavez, Trustee Jonasson Rosas Allegedly Use ...
Chavez’s Last City Newsletter Highlights His Wife
The complaint specifically points to a District 5 newsletter printed in January prominently featuring Chavez and Jonasson Rosas. The letter additionally alleges that Chavez’s then-council aides helped distribute the campaign material, which is illegal.
Karbassi countered that many district aides will work on campaigns during their off-hours, which is allowed, and he’ll punish any staffers supporting a political campaign during work hours.
“If you get caught as a staffer using city resources for political purposes, you should expect to get fired,” Karbassi said. “This is nothing that’s played around with. It’s a very serious matter. That’s why it doesn’t happen anymore.”
Karbassi: Arambula, Medina Want to See Their Candidate Win
Fresno City Attorney Andrew Janz has the authority to investigate illegal election activity independent of city council’s direction. He did not answer multiple requests for comment.
Karbassi said the complaint was filed to help Vang, a Sanger Unified board trustee, get elected. Karbassi also said the complaint was filed to prime State Assemblymember Joaquin Arambula — Juan Arambula’s son — for a potential mayoral run.
Related Story: Fresno Candidate Brandon Vang and Wife May Lee Emotionally Respond to Attack ...
Arambula told GV Wire in November 2024 he would run for Fresno City Council.
“Let’s call a spade a spade here,” Karbassi said. “They’re not doing it out of the goodness of the public good, they’re doing this because they want to have gotcha moments to help their candidate win. And that’s very unfortunate.”
Also running in the District 5 special election are nonprofit leader Jose Leon Barraza, Paul Condon, and write-in candidate Nickolas Wildstar.
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