What does Mayor Lee Brand plan to do with his $450,000 political war chest? Brand amassed most of that amount in 2018, taking contributions from the who’s who of Fresno business and politics — public safety unions, developers, and attorneys. Since his announcement Monday (May 20) that he is not...
Brand Touts Higher Rainy Day Fund In ‘Status Quo’ Budget
Mayor Lee Brand described his proposed 2020 Fresno budget as “status quo.” Not much is different in FY 2020’s $1.187 billion spending plan, a 3.5% increase from FY 2019. “It maintains all the existing services, with only three positions added in the general fund portion. We simply don’t have the...
Community Leaders and Groups React to Brand’s Shocking News
Community leaders and groups had much to say about Monday's announcement by Fresno Mayor Lee Brand that he will not seek re-election in 2020: “During his time as a council member and as Mayor, Lee Brand has been a great friend to the Fresno business community. The effect of his...
Police Chief Dyer ‘Strongly Considering’ Run for Fresno Mayor
Fresno police chief is Jerry Dyer “strongly considering” a run for mayor. Hours after Mayor Lee Brand said he would not seek re-election in 2020, Dyer said he’s heard that calling and is "seeking God’s affirmation" and consultation from his close friends. He said his wife, Diane, is on board. Speaking...
Fresno Mayor Brand Won’t Run Again. ‘It’s Time I Moved On’
Lee Brand, the 25th mayor of Fresno, will not run for a second term, he said in a stunning announcement Monday. [text-wrap] Mayor Lee Brand Interview via KMJ City Hall insiders have said Brand's exit will open the way for police Chief Jerry Dyer to run for mayor. In a...
Fresno’s Immigration Affairs Committee Launches. Who’s On It?
Three months after creating an Immigration Affairs Committee, the city council and mayor have named the 15 members who will serve. Many names are familiar to immigration advocacy in Fresno. The council is scheduled to vote to approve the appointees Thursday (May 16). The committee’s bylaws allow each councilmember to appoint...
Retired Clovis Unified Educator Is First 2020 Costa Challenger
Democrat Jim Costa has his first challenger for his congressional seat. Kevin Cookingham, a retired educator with Clovis Unified, announced on Facebook he’s running for the 16th District office. “This is something I need to do. In fact, I didn’t want to do it … but we need more conservatives...
11 Important Things to Know About Janz vs. Brand
The Fresno mayoral election is starting out hot and before the March primary will make all those before it seem like dinner debates in an arctic basement. The entry of Andrew Janz has injected sizzle into the election and stoked a fire in the belly of incumbent Lee Brand. Here...
Brand Issues First Mayoral Veto in Fight Over Office Space
The City Hall power struggle between the executive and legislative branches continues. Fresno Mayor Lee Brand exercised his first veto since taking office in 2017, overruling a council vote on the reallocation of City Hall office space. The city council on April 25 voted 5-1 to take space used by...
Janz Takes Swings at Brand in 2020 Mayoral Opening Round
The gloves are off in the 2020 Fresno mayoral race, and it’s only the opening bell. Surrounded by 60 or so supporters, Andrew Janz officially announced his entry into the race for the city’s top leadership job. He called himself a fresh breath of air, hoping to defeat the current occupant...