Measure E supporters have an uphill battle ahead in their second quest to get a one-fifth-cent sales tax passed for the purpose of upgrading Fresno State’s aging facilities.
The measure needs a simple majority, or 50% plus one, to pass. The measure was polling at just over 43% approval late Tuesday evening compared with over 56% against. Turnout is currently at just over 16% of registered voters in Fresno County, with more ballots to be counted over the coming days and weeks.
This is the second time Fresno State boosters, led by local contractor Richard Spencer, have tried to get Fresno County voters to support a tax for improvements at the university.
The November 2022 effort ultimately failed with just 47% of the vote.
Supporters of Measure E pointed to Fresno State's nearly $500 million deferred maintenance backlog and a need to build more facilities for nursing and engineering students.
But those in opposition had numerous issues with the tax, from hefty salaries for the oversight committee, to a lack of guardrails in the ballot measure itself.
Brooke Ashjian has been one of the most prominent critics of Measure E. He said it was "absolutely not" too early to declare the measure dead.
"It’s been eradicated. Extinguished and eradicated: That’s what ‘E’ stands for."
Ashjian said while the Yes on E campaign reportedly spent millions, the relatively small opposition movement spent "less than $40,000."
"I think it’s fantastic. I think the people of Fresno County rejected a double tax – double taxation for half the stuff," Ashjian told Fresnoland on Wednesday. "We shut down the machine that was going to rip off Fresno County."
On Wednesday, Fresno State spokesperson Lisa Bell said it would be "premature" to comment before the outcome was "definitively decided."
Tim Orman, one of the lead consultants on the measure, called the result "disappointing."
“The low turnout means that there’s a much greater concentration of older conservative voters … I do think that had an impact on it," Orman told Fresnoland on Wednesday. "There’s a certain amount of economic uncertainty in the general public and I think that had an impact as well."
Orman thanked supporters and said they would "let the dust settle" and regroup to talk about "what's possible for the future."
"The state hasn’t done anything significant for four years. I don’t see that changing anytime soon, particularly when there was a $73 billion deficit this year, and they’re looking at 30-billion-plus deficits the next several years," Orman said. "Even if they had the desire – which they haven’t shown – they don’t have the money."
Measure B going down at the polls
Measure B, which would add language to the Fresno County charter allowing county control over geographic features and place names in its jurisdiction, was polling at only about 36% approval compared with just under 65% against.
If the margins hold, Measure B’s defeat would be the latest setback for efforts to preserve or restore the old name of the Fresno County community the federal government renamed “Yokuts Valley” last year.
Additionally, a Fresno Superior Court judge tossed out a lawsuit county leaders filed in April last year, noting that Fresno County does not have the legal standing to sue California, since it is a political subdivision of the state. County officials are currently appealing that decision in court, a process that still needs to play out.
Republicans headed for victory on Fresno County's Measure A
Measure A, on the other hand, appeared headed for victory. The measure, which essentially seeks voter approval to move elections for Fresno County’s top cops to California’s gubernatorial cycle, was polling at about 56% approval with 44% voting against.
Supervisor Steve Brandau celebrated Measure A's passage as a victory for Fresno County voters.
"I sponsored Measure A, which was local control of our elections,” Brandau said. "I'm glad that the voters agreed to keep Sacramento at bay and we still get local control over the election of our district attorney and our sheriff."
The partisan issue emerged on the Fresno County primary ballot after California Democrats quietly passed a law in 2022 requiring most California counties to conduct their top law enforcement elections during the presidential cycle, when voter turnout typically peaks.
California Republicans, including many in law enforcement, criticized the law as a disingenuous effort to give Democrats – frequently criticized as “soft on crime” – a greater advantage in races they typically struggle to win.
Tuesday’s result could also put Fresno County on a legal collision course with the state to resolve the question of whether the Legislature overstepped its authority or whether county charters trump the 2022 election law.
Measures A and B also require a simple majority to pass.
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