A formal opposition group to Measure S said Fresno County’s proposed 30-year, half-cent, sales tax devotes too much to public transit, puts too many restrictions on road repair, and routes up to $300 million over the lifetime of the tax to nonprofits.

“We can do better than what is on the measure right now,” said Reedley Mayor Matthew Tuttle.

On Tuesday, the No On Measure S Fresno County group held a news conference in Clovis saying voters need a better tax measure to repair roads. That group included Tuttle, county supervisors Garry Bredefeld and Buddy Mendes, Clovis Mayor Pro Tem Diane Pearce, and businessman Brooke Ashjian, chair of the Valley Watchdogs Political Action Committee.

The Central Valley Young Republicans have also taken a formal “no” stance on Measure S.

“This is about making sure no road gets built without more bike lanes and more buses,” Ashjian said. “And the kicker — this is about $300 million going to non-profit (non-governmental organizations) to promote business which nobody’s riding.”

Alex Tavlian, campaign manager for the opponents, said fundraising would remain local. He anticipates the group will raise between $150,000 and $250,000.

Meanwhile, Measure S has raised more than $1 million, mainly from the Central Valley Community Foundation and from statewide union and environmental groups.

Transportation About More Than Just Roads: Measure S

The Yes On Measure S campaign did not make itself available for a GV Wire interview. In a statement sent to media, however, supporters say they enjoy a broad coalition of support. That support counts 11 mayors from county communities, including the mayors of Fresno and Clovis.

The Yes committee said that absent passage of the November ballot measure, Fresno County roads would further deteriorate.

“Measure S was developed to address deteriorating streets and roads, improve transportation safety, strengthen public transit, provide safer routes to school, and make long-term transportation investments throughout Fresno County,” the Yes on S group said in its statement.

Analysts predict the tax would raise $7.4 billion over 30 years.

The measure allocates 65% of funds on road and sidewalk repair. Another 25% goes to public transit, 4% to regional projects, such as interchange projects, and 4% to public transit projects.

The measure creates a citizen oversight committee and requires regular audits to ensure money is spent as intended.

“There is a reason Measure S has attracted widespread support across Fresno County,” said Andy Levine, campaign manager for Measure S. “Mayors and councilmembers representing large cities and small rural communities, along with business, labor and community leaders, support Measure S because their communities need dependable transportation funding and because the plan invests throughout the county.”

Rural Communities Depend on Regional Projects: Tuttle

With $3 billion in deferred maintenance on roads and sidewalks in the city and county, Bredefeld said the measure doesn’t commit enough money to make meaningful progress on road improvements.

It also requires bike lanes and bus stops be added “where feasible” for roads getting significant repairs, according to proposal language. Additionally, it prevents road widening unless road quality standards reach levels the county has not previously had, Bredefeld said.

“For mountain communities, those prohibitions mean it will be more difficult and deadly to evacuate from devastating wildfires,” Bredefeld said. “For rural communities, it means crashes on two-lane roads will only get worse.”

Opponents to Measure S said the 4% to regional projects isn’t enough. Tuttle also said that rural communities in his area need regional project expansions on Reed, Frankwood, and Manning avenues.

The county and city of Fresno have long wanted to expand the Highway 99 interchange over Shaw Avenue. At the beginning of 2024, early estimates pegged the cost to expand that interchange at $120 million.

“That would take the whole 4%,” Mendes said.

Nonprofit Groups Eligible for Measure S Money

The other 4% allocation in Measure S got scrutiny from the opposition group.

The ordinance calls for that money to go to bus passes and clean energy projects. Nonprofits and private enterprise can apply for taxpayer dollars for grants to support clean energy projects.

Ashjian likened the proposal to Fresno’s Measure P, passed in 2018, backed by the Central Valley Community Foundation, Building Healthy Communities, and Leadership Counsel for Justice & Accountability.

Those groups all back Measure S.

But in February, news broke that a Fresno Arts Council executive embezzled $1.8 million of taxpayer money.

“They took our tax dollars, they rerouted them to nonprofits, and then the nonprofits stole our money,” Ashjian said.

Will Fresno County Ever Get a Transportation Tax?

Measure S opponents acknowledged the need for a tax measure to support roads. Since 2022, groups have arisen to fund opposition to road repair tax efforts that polling consistently shows enjoys overwhelming public support.

Measure S supporters say they have both conservative and liberal support.

Even back in 2006, when Measure C had its first renewal, it took negotiating to get it passed, Mendes said. The first renewal attempt failed at the ballot box and opposition demanded more money for public transit, he said.

That fight got even more vitriolic in 2022 when many of the nonprofit groups behind Measure S got support from groups such as the National Resources Defense Council to oppose the second renewal, which at that time was pegged for 20 years.

More recently, Measure S opponents  have accused the Central Valley Community Foundation of hijacking the effort after that nonprofit threatened to put forward a competing tax measure if they weren’t given a substantial presence in the Measure C crafting in 2025.

Division did not ease any after Measure S got the required signatures to go on the ballot, but did not get the legally required vote from supervisors to go on the November ballot. It took state legislation to force the measure to a vote this year.

Measure C will continue collecting money through June 2027 and funds won’t be fully expended until 2029, Mendes said.

Most of that money, however, has been dedicated.

Pearce said Fresno County mayors need to come back together to have a discussion about a road measure.

“Let us all come back to the table so maybe some common sense can come in the intermediary time,” Pearce said. “The sky’s not falling, we won’t run out of transportation dollars. We’ll be able to come up with something that’ll truly meet the needs of the people and give the residents of Fresno County exactly what they’ve been asking for, which is to fix their roads.”

Full Press Conference