Fresno City Council Approves Half-Cent Sales Tax for November Ballot, 6-1 Vote

The Fresno City Council voted 6-1 to place a half-cent general sales tax on the November ballot. The measure would take effect July 1, 2027 — one day after the existing Measure C transportation tax expires.

Mayor Jerry Dyer estimates the tax would generate $65 million annually. The city expects to lose $54 million in revenue when Measure C ends in June 2027.

The proposal requires a simple majority to pass. A transportation-specific measure would have required two-thirds voter approval.

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Council President Nelson Esparza said he would have preferred a transportation-only funding measure but supported the proposal to avoid losing critical transportation funding. “There was no way we were going to come up with a consensus in 10, 12 days before a deadline to submit to the city clerk,” Esparza said.

The council acted after the Fresno County Board of Supervisors delayed a separate Measure C replacement proposal, “Better Roads Safer Streets,” by requesting an economic impact study. That proposal is unlikely to reach voters until 2028.

217 city positions are tied to Measure C funding. Dyer stated the council does not want to lay off employees or allow roads to worsen.

The Breakdown

• Tax rate: Half-cent sales tax added to general fund
• Revenue estimate: $65 million per year
• Effective date: July 1, 2027
• Voter threshold: Simple majority (50% plus one)
• Stated uses: Street maintenance, road repairs, FAX transit services, other transportation operations
• Jobs at stake: 217 positions currently funded by Measure C

What This Means for You

You will vote on this measure in November. A yes vote adds a half-cent to the sales tax you pay on purchases in Fresno starting July 2027. A no vote means the city loses $54 million in transportation funding when Measure C expires. Unlike Measure C, this is a general fund tax — the council is not restricted to spending the money only on transportation.

What to Watch

The city is asking voters to approve a general fund tax, not a transportation-specific measure, despite framing the need around transportation funding. Esparza acknowledged he preferred a transportation-only measure but said there wasn’t time to build consensus for the two-thirds majority threshold that would require.

Why did the city need 10-12 days instead of the months typically available for ballot measures? According to city officials, they had expected the county to adopt their own measure for the ballot, but instead, they elected for a study that would not be complete in time for the August deadline to make it on the ballot. Still, some have asked the question, why did we not have a backup plan? And why did the city choose a 10 year term for what they referred to as a “temporary stop gap measure” at the city council meeting? 

The city frames this as replacing Measure C revenue, but the numbers don’t align cleanly: the new tax is projected to generate $65 million while Measure C provided $54 million. And none of it is guaranteed to go to Rhodes or other transportation related expenses. Where does the $11 million gap go? The material does not state whether the higher revenue figure reflects inflation, expansion of services, or something else — a detail worth tracking as the campaign proceeds.