In a few weeks, Fresno County Supervisor Andreas Borgeas will take his seat as a state senator, the position he won in the Nov. 6 election. He will also officially vacate his current office, triggering a special election slated for early 2019. One possible candidate is Andrew Janz, fresh off...
Brand: The Public Spoke on Parks-Only Tax
Measure P failed. Mayor Lee Brand acknowledges the ball is now in his court. Brand led the effort to defeat the city sales tax initiative that would have specifically benefited parks and cultural arts in Fresno. The city's voters said no, with 51% rejecting the 3/8 of a cent tax...
A Quick Look at Fresno Voter Turnout
There are still 77,000 ballots in Fresno County left to process, and many of those will be within the city of Fresno. But, early numbers show a disparity in turnout based on geography. In the latest results update released Friday (Nov. 9) afternoon, Fresnans cast 86,687 ballots, or 36% turnout....
California’s Cannabis Chief Regulator: It ‘Costs Businesses’
Could too many regulations for the burgeoning cannabis industry deter entry into the market? That's the question the state agency in charge of regulating cannabis grapples with. “We’re not pleasing anybody with our regs, whether it’s the industry, the city or the police chiefs, not everybody is happy,” Lori Ajax,...
Is Measure P’s Defeat The End or New Beginning?
To the surprise of many, Fresno's ambitious Measure P ballot initiative not only failed to attain the two-thirds vote it needed to pass, it didn’t even receive a simple majority of votes in favor. With 100% precincts reporting, 51% of Fresnans voted "no" on P. The measure would have raised the...
Face-Off on Measure P: Ashley Swearengin and Lee Brand
View the video above to watch former Mayor Ashley Swearengin and Mayor Lee Brand discuss their views on Measure P.
Whose Legendary Voice Backs the Hospital Bond?
It may be one of the greatest chasms, dividing California if not the nation. The bitter dispute has each side clinging to its values, its beliefs, its colors. There is no room for compromise. And, there is only one man who can bridge the gap. One person, so universally loved...
The KMJ Measure P Debate: Both Sides Square Off
Leading figures on both sides of the Fresno parks sales tax proposal debated their positions this week on KMJ580 in a conversation moderated by talk-show host Ray Appleton. No on P advocate and housing developer Darius Assemi squared off with David McDonald, former CEO of Pelco and a Measure P...
Step Up, Fresno: Vote 'Yes' on Measure P!
I am a new reader of GV Wire, so it was with great interest that I turned to your Voter Guide. I was quite shocked to see the content of the “No” commentary on Measure P. First, the opponents of Measure P are not giving Fresno residents much credit: They...
There's a Better Way to Make Fresno Sparkle. Vote 'No' on P.
Here’s something I believe people on both sides of the parks tax debate can agree on: We’ve got miles to go to make Fresno a vibrant, safe, and prosperous city for all. For decades, our elected leaders have struggled to make ends meet while facing annual budget challenges in which...