Lack of Council Action Leaves Fresno Voters Stuck With a General Tax the City Promised to Remove
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 12, 2026
Contact: Mike Lukens, (559) 999-5108
FRESNO, CA — The Better Roads, Safe Streets campaign today issued the following statement after the Fresno City Council failed to meet quorum at a special meeting called by Councilmembers Nick Richardson, Miguel Arias, Brandon Vang, and Tyler Maxwell to rescind the City’s General Sales Tax measure.
The Council was unable to take action because Councilmembers Tyler Maxwell, Mike Karbassi, Nelson Esparza, and Annalisa Perea were absent. As a result, voters will face a head-to-head contest this fall between the City’s General Sales Tax measure and the countywide Better Roads, Safe Streets measure.
“Voters were promised the City would avoid competing with Better Roads, Safe Streets. Then the City changed course and placed the General Sales Tax on the ballot anyway. Now, voters are left holding the bag for a pattern of indecision at City Hall.”
“Better Roads, Safe Streets is the only measure on the November ballot that specifically dedicates funding to repair our roads and make our streets safer — with ironclad accountability to voters to get the job done,” the campaign said.
“Voters within Fresno city limits will now have to sort through two proposals, weigh which one actually funds road repairs, and figure out which one is just a general fund grab dressed up as a transportation fix,” the campaign said. “We trust Fresno voters to see through the confusion and support Better Roads, Safe Streets, the measure that was built by the community, for the community — one that dedicates every dollar to fixing our streets, improving safety, and investing in transportation, not just inside city limits, but across the entire county.”
The campaign said it remains committed to making its case directly to voters between now and November 3.
“This campaign was built by residents, business owners, and local leaders who know what’s at stake if our roads remain in disrepair,” the campaign said. “Today’s decision makes our job harder, but it doesn’t change our resolve. We’re going to keep fighting for the measure Fresno County voters asked for, not the one imposed by a few politicians.”
About Better Roads, Safe Streets
Better Roads, Safe Streets is the only citizen-led effort to extend local funding for road repairs, without raising taxes. It ensures every city and town has the resources they need to fix potholes, improve street safety, speed up emergency response times, enhance public transit, and keep kids safe on their way to school — continuing the same half-cent rate Fresno County has paid for 40 years.