What state imposes the highest average property tax burden on farmers and ranchers? Unfortunately, when it comes to taxes and regulations, you would be correct in guessing California every time — and now voters will decide if they want to double down on this state’s high-tax reputation by voting on Proposition 15....
Supporters Seeking Rollback of Prop. 13 Submit Ballot Signatures
SACRAMENTO — Supporters of a proposed rollback of California's landmark Proposition 13 announced Thursday they have collected more than 1.7 million signatures, all but assuring it will appear on the November ballot. If approved by voters, the measure would raise property taxes on some businesses by up to $12 billion...
Central Unified's Measure C Still Doesn't Have Enough Votes To Pass
Central Unified School District's Measure C bond has inched closer to victory but still lacks the 55% voter approval needed to pass, according to the latest vote totals from the March 3 primary election. But is there still hope? The Fresno County Elections Office, which released the updated vote totals...
Which Bond Measures Will Pass? Fresno Definite, Central Hopeful, Clovis Unlikely
The latest batch of primary election vote totals released Friday afternoon by the Fresno County Elections Office shows that Fresno Unified School District's $325 million Measure M school bond measure has claimed even more voter support, climbing to an approval margin of 59% to 41%. Most local bond measures require...
Local School Bond Measure Elections Are Nail-Biters
Supporters of Clovis Unified School District's Measure A bond measure were hoping for a victory celebration Tuesday evening as they gathered at a northeast Fresno eatery to wait for election returns. But when early results that showed the $408 million bond measure that was losing by a margin of 52%...
Proposition 13 Would Spend $15 Billion on California Schools
LOS ANGELES — The only statewide measure on Tuesday's California primary ballot is a $15 billion bond to repair and modernize aging schools, many of which are more than a half-century old and have issues ranging from leaky roofs and old wiring to toxic mold. Some $9 billion from Proposition...
Lucky Number? Why There's a Proposition 13 Back on the Ballot.
Just the mention of "Prop. 13" recalls the victorious image of Howard Jarvis celebrating the landmark property tax reform law that voters passed in 1978. Some have called it the "third rail" of California politics. Listen to this article: So, why is it back on the March 3 ballot? To...
FUSD Owes Flood Control District $750K. The Check Is Not in The Mail.
Fresno Unified School District and the Fresno Metropolitan Flood Control District have reached a tentative agreement that would require the school district to pay drainage fees for upcoming school improvement projects as well as some built as far back as 1987. Listen to this article: The Fresno Unified board...
Walters: One Tax Measure Goes Away
Proposition 13, California’s iconic property tax limit, was overwhelmingly approved by California voters 41 years ago and for at least 40 of those years, efforts have been mounted to repeal or change it. Initially, it was attacked in the courts, but survived. Thereafter, pro-spending interest groups — public employee unions,...
Should Fresno Unified Use PLAs to Build Schools?
The Fresno Unified School Board continues to grapple with whether to use project labor agreements for upcoming school construction projects such as the new southeast elementary school. Indecision about the agreements, which are supported by labor unions but opposed by general contractors and business owners, has pushed the school's opening...