Confusion and frustration on the first day of Fresno County’s new transportation tax committee

The first day of the new-look advisory board for Fresno County’s transportation sales tax was marred by chaos after one of the City of Fresno’s committee members was asked to leave, apparently over critical comments the member made about the committee in public.

Local paver Brooke Ashjian was asked to leave Measure C’s advisory board following comments he made online about the committee’s recent expansion. The move has been met with fierce opposition from city leaders, who argue his removal is a breach of his First Amendment rights.

Ashjian, one of the city’s three representatives on the board, told Fresnoland that, while he understands his media appearances were cited, he’s not certain what rule he broke to start his removal in the first place. 

The advisory board, known as the steering committee, is made up of members from a large range of backgrounds across Fresno County. Routinely, members of the committee debate among themselves on how they believe Measure C tax revenue should be used.  

That in and of itself is a form of criticism among members, Ashjian told Fresnoland.

“I mean, Ray Charles could see that,” Ashjian said. “If you’re not there to be critical and come to some sort of solution, then what are we doing there? That’s how the sausage gets made.”

The steering committee, recently expanded from 24 to 36 members after fierce advocacy from local activist group “Transportation For All,” which argued more members of the community should have a say in how the tax revenue is spent. 

Thursday was supposed to be the first day where a new, unified effort to renew the sales tax could begin, as Fresno voters will get one last chance to rescue it during the 2026 midterm elections. Instead, it illustrated that the negotiations, at least behind the scenes, remain frosty and tenuous.

Following the tense presentation at city council, the steering committee meeting was largely uncontentious and Ashjian’s departure was never mentioned.

Committee members asked not to criticize the process?

The news of Ashjian’s removal first came at Thursday’s Fresno City Council meeting during a routine presentation by Robert Phipps, interim executive director of the Fresno Council of Governments, and Kendall Flint, Measure C program director. 

At Thursday’s steering committee meeting, members new and old agreed to a number of rules outlined by lead staff. Among them was a request to “refrain from posting negative comments via social media or news during the development process.”  

Ashjian is part of a vocal minority group within the committee who have been critical of the new members. He’s published an op-ed on online outlets like GV Wire and appeared on a KMJ radio talk show admonishing the decision to grow the committee by 50% with community members who are largely made of unelected officials and, he said, hold no experience in the transportation industry. 

His comments were enough for committee chair and Parlier Mayor Alma Beltran to initiate the move without Dyer’s approval. The move was made “in collaboration with other members of Fresno COG, the Central Valley Community Foundation, (and) Transportation For All,” but Beltran made the call, according to Phipps.

Beltran could not immediately be reached for comment Wednesday.

Nobody at Thursday’s council meeting could confidently say whether Beltran or the group actually have the authority to remove Ashjian — who was recommended by Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer.

“I question that authority and I completely disagree with that authority,” said Fresno City Manager Georgeanne White at Thursday’s Fresno City Council meeting

“We vehemently disagree with the action that has been taken,” White added. 

She added that Dyer disagreed with the move, and was not given input on the process of Ashjian’s removal.

Councilmember Mike Karbassi argued that the move to remove Ashjian was a violation of the First Amendment. He encouraged the other two city representatives to not attend Thursday’s steering committee in protest.

Anger and frustration felt by city leaders like Karbassi were further fueled when so many of their questions were left unanswered.

“You guys need to call Brooke and tell him to show up … because he’s still our committee representative,” Karbassi said at the meeting.

Flint and Phipps had also announced earlier that an alternate for Ashjian was set to appear on Thursday, but that representative was from Reedley — news that drew even more criticism from the dais.

Dyer’s other two appointees — Chuck Riojas of the local Building Trades Council and Karen Musson — both attended the steering committee later that day via Zoom.

Dyer recommends who he wants to represent the city in the steering committee. Karbassi said at the meeting that, if it were up to him, he’d renominate Ashjian, citing his experience in road and paving projects. 

When asked by Fresnoland if he’d entertain a bid to rejoin the steering committee, Ashjian was noncommittal. He said he was the “only member” in the committee that had expertise in roads, but that the group seemed to be moving away from investing in them.

A move, he said, is short-sighted.

“You come at the asphalt king,” Ashjian said, “you’re going to get steamrolled.”

An otherwise ordinary meeting

Thursday’s steering committee meeting later in the afternoon went smoothly and focused on big-picture ideas for the Measure C renewal plan, based on the results of community outreach to thousands of county residents largely led by the Transportation for All Coalition earlier this summer.

No mention was made of Ashjian’s exit or the controversy at the Fresno City Council meeting hours earlier.

The group of roughly 30 members in attendance Thursday discussed investment priorities from those initial community surveys, including, in no particular order: road repairs, public transit, safety, walkability and biking.

The steering committee will meet again Wednesday, July 31, from 5:30 to 8 p.m.