FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) — A new campaign to extend Fresno County’s transportation sales tax is encountering an early obstacle as officials review the number of signatures needed to qualify the measure for the November ballot.
The “Better Roads, Safe Streets” initiative would continue the half-cent transportation tax known as Measure C, which is set to expire next year.
In April, supporters submitted boxes containing more than 32,000 signatures to the Fresno County Elections Office.
After conducting a random sample of 977 signatures, elections officials found that about 77% were valid. However, the review also identified duplicate signatures, which trigger additional scrutiny.
“We took a look at those 977 signatures that were randomly selected and found that approximately 77% were valid, but we also found that out of those that were invalid, there were two duplicates,” said James Kuz, Fresno County Clerk and Registrar of Voters.
While officials say duplicates are not unusual in signature-gathering efforts, their presence means the campaign must now undergo a full signature count to determine if it meets the threshold of nearly 22,000 valid signatures required to qualify for the ballot.
Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer said the development did not come as a surprise.
“Disappointed, but not surprised. Anytime you do a signature gathering campaign, you can expect there’s going to be some duplicate signatures,” Dyer said.
Despite the added step, campaign leaders say they remain confident they will meet the requirement before the deadline.
Andy Levine, a representative of the “Better Roads, Safe Streets” campaign, described the effort as critical for the future of local infrastructure.
“This is the opportunity. It’s really a once-in-a-generation opportunity for us to really do what voters have been loud and clear on, which is why we have full confidence that this count is going to be completed in time,” Levine said.
The proposal calls for investments in neighborhood roads, public transportation and rural communities. Supporters warn that allowing Measure C to expire without renewal could have significant financial consequences for the region.
“I think we can all agree that any lapse in that revenue of that half-cent sales tax would be crippling,” Levine said.
Meanwhile, a competing proposal, known as the “Fix Our Roads Plan,” is also seeking a spot on the ballot.
Backed by former Fresno City Councilman and County Supervisor Henry Perea, the effort continues to gather signatures.
Perea criticized the Better Roads, Safe Streets proposal, arguing it emphasizes shifting transportation away from cars.
“Their plan is really built on trying to move people out of cars into buses and onto bicycles, and I mean, that may work in a bigger city, but it doesn’t work in Fresno,” Perea said.
Perea agreed that maintaining revenue from the transportation tax is essential, but suggested a compromise could emerge. He said the Fresno Council of Governments could develop a unified plan that incorporates elements from both proposals for voters to consider.
“We’re working hard to qualify a measure, but in my opinion, the best position for the million people plus that live in this county is if the Council of Governments does its job and creates a plan that the voters can support,” Perea said.
The fate of the competing measures will depend in part on whether either campaign can secure enough valid signatures in time for the November ballot.
