Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer’s lobbying paid off — a $100 million windfall from the state budget.

The state pledged $250 million to the city two years ago to be paid off in three budget years. Fresno received the first $50 million installment in the 2023-24 budget. State financial woes delayed the rest.

The original and revised versions of this year’s state $321 billion spending plan failed to fulfill the remainder of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s promise. At the time, Dyer called the development “disappointing.” But Dyer continued to lobby anyway.

“As soon as that check is available, I promise you, I will have one of my staff drive to Sacramento and pick it up so that we can put that money to good use,” Dyer said at a Monday news conference in Fresno.

Dyer thanked Newsom and state Assemblymember Esmeralda Soria, D-Fresno, who was on hand.

“For many decades, this city has been talking about revitalizing Fresno, and that’s what this $100 million will do,” Soria said.

Inside the Lobbying

Dyer made the winning argument — paying for these projects now would be less expensive than in the future.

Dyer said he met with Newsom one-on-one in April in Sacramento.

“I let him know that we were heavily dependent upon that second tranche of  $100 million. And that if we did not receive it, we were going to have to bond in order to continue. And, as we all know, it’s not cheap bonding. And the longer we waited, the more it was gonna cost us in terms of material, as well as labor,” Dyer said.

Newsom told Dyer that information “helps a lot,” and would “do everything I can” to deliver the money.

The money was not there in the May revise. Newsom’s director of finance later contacted Dyer saying the governor “had not forgotten.”

“We heard earlier today about Forgotten Fresno. Downtown’s been forgotten too, and Chinatown. Been forgotten for a long time and it’s our time to revitalize downtown Fresno and Chinatown,” Dyer said.

Dyer said water and sewer main projects will start in the fall and take up to eight months. The city also plans a 900-spot parking garage across the street from Chukchansi Park stadium.

Now that the city has the $100 million commitment, negotiations can move forward with land owner, the Baker family — former owners of the Fresno Grizzlies — Dyer said.

Five housing projects are waiting on the spending. Dyer only mentioned one — a project with the Fresno Housing Authority on Fulton Street by the former CVS pharmacy.

A Slip or a Prediction?

Soria is running for state Senate  in 2026. She is endorsing Fresno City Councilmember Annalisa Perea to succeed her in the Assembly.

Both appeared at a groundbreaking Monday at Dolores Huerta Park in Fresno. Soria thanked “Assemblywoman Annalisa Perea,” during her speech.

Perea shrugged her shoulders, and Dyer let out a smile.

A slip of the tongue, or a bold prediction?

Newsom Appointments Fresno State Professor

Gov. Gavin Newsom tapped Juliet Michelson Wahleithner of Fresno as the state’s Director of Research, Evaluation, and Assessment at the Commission on Teacher Credentialing.

Wahleithner, a Democrat, is a professor at Fresno State in the Kremen School of Education and Human Development. She also serves the state as a Special Consultant for the Office of Policy and Continuous Improvement at the Commission on Teacher Credentialing.

The job pays $163,788 annually.