Two Visions for District 1: City Councilmember and Kerman Mayor Lay Out Plans for County Supervisor Seat
Fresno City Councilmember Mike Karbassi and Kerman Mayor Maria Pacheco are competing for the District 1 seat on the Fresno County Board of Supervisors. Karbassi finished first in June with 8,046 votes to Pacheco’s 7,008. The winner replaces Brian Pacheco, who has served since 2014.
Both candidates have raised substantial campaign funds — Karbassi at $345,000 (nearly double Pacheco’s $169,000) — and drawn endorsements from different parts of the political spectrum. The seat is one of three new supervisor positions the five-member board expects to fill at the start of the new year.
Karbassi has been endorsed by U.S. Congressmen Jim Costa and Adam Gray, Sheriff John Zanoni, District Attorney Lisa Smittcamp, Mayor Jerry Dyer, and the Fresno County Democratic Party. Pacheco’s endorsements include State Sen. Anna Caballero, Assemblymember Esmeralda Soria, the Dolores Huerta Action Fund, and the Central Valley Progressive PAC.
The two candidates differ sharply on some key issues. Pacheco supports Measure S, a tax measure that would invest in established communities and roads rather than expansion. She said 32,000 residents signed to get it on the ballot, and “it’s our responsibility to assure that it happens, regardless of what the outcome is.” Karbassi said at a candidate forum that SEDA “is going to fail” because “it doesn’t pencil out.”
On public participation, Karbassi said the county currently caps public comment on agenda items to about 10 minutes, while city council meetings routinely allow hours of comment. “That’s not right,” Karbassi said. “We should have the opportunity for everyone that shows up that wants to speak on an issue to be heard. That’s a basic right you should have.” He said he has already spoken with Supervisor Luis Chavez, next year’s board chair, on this topic.
Pacheco acknowledged that work-hour meetings make it hard for most people to participate, but did not say she would lobby to change the schedule. She said she would facilitate outreach to help residents understand when important items are on the calendar and would support educational town halls where staff could teach community members what the county does.
On housing, Pacheco proposed a rental assistance program for middle-income families who don’t qualify for existing subsidies like Section 8. She has not identified a funding source. She also wants the county to help residents build accessory dwelling units. “Now their property is worth more,” Pacheco said, “and they’re able to become landlords and have additional income, and they’re also able to house a person struggling to find a home right now.”
Karbassi pointed to his track record on infrastructure, citing his work getting the Veterans Boulevard overpass finished and allocating $25,000 from his city district budget toward a new library in southwest Fresno. “I have a great amount of experience in increasing that kind of level of development in my city,” Karbassi said, “while also maintaining infrastructure, maintaining our budget, and maintaining public input and satisfaction.”
Karbassi, a Democrat, emphasized his ability to work across party lines on a board that has consistently had a conservative majority. He has been endorsed by Republicans Supervisor Garry Bredefeld and Supervisor-elect Margaret Mims. “It’s not about ego; it’s about results,” Karbassi said.
Pacheco said she is skeptical of recent homelessness census data showing fewer homeless people in the region. She experienced homelessness at age 18. “I’ve read many articles that say homelessness is down, and I’ve read reports,” Pacheco said. “But what I see and experience is different.” She said she would spend a night sleeping outside with unhoused residents in October to learn more.
On solar development, Pacheco said regions hit hardest by fallowed land should get special attention for solar energy projects, which she said bring jobs and new revenue. She said a “misinformation campaign” has led people to believe solar is responsible for fallowed land. “They think solar is just going to come in and take over,” Pacheco said, “and that’s just not the case.”
Karbassi said while canvassing, residents told him they didn’t know who their county supervisor is. “For the last 30 years, we have had someone not from Fresno representing the district,” Karbassi said. “The reality is a majority of the population of Supervisor District 1 are City of Fresno residents.” He said he plans to remove some current board and commission members and choose people who “better reflect our community.”
The Breakdown
- Karbassi has raised $345,000, with $121,000 coming since June. Pacheco has raised $169,000, with $105,000 since June.
- The winner will be one of three new supervisors joining a five-member board that has consistently had a conservative majority.
- Key policy differences include Measure S (Pacheco supports, Karbassi says it won’t pass), public comment time limits (Karbassi wants them lifted, Pacheco focused on outreach), and approach to housing (Pacheco proposes rental assistance and ADUs, Karbassi emphasizes infrastructure delivery).
- Both candidates are Democrats, but their endorsements split along different lines — Karbassi from law enforcement, local officials, and some Republicans; Pacheco from state legislators and progressive groups.
What This Means for You
This race determines who will represent District 1 on decisions about county budgets, development approvals, homelessness services, and infrastructure spending. Your vote in November shapes which approach the county takes: Karbassi’s emphasis on cross-party collaboration and infrastructure delivery, or Pacheco’s focus on rental assistance, solar development, and investing in established communities over expansion.
The winner joins a board where Republicans hold the majority, making the question of how a Democrat works with that majority a practical one, not theoretical. Karbassi has Republican endorsements and a track record of bipartisan work; Pacheco has progressive backing and a stated preference for prioritizing existing communities.
What You Can Do
The November election for this seat is coming up. Check your voter registration and polling location at voterfresno.com. Both candidates have detailed their positions on housing, homelessness, solar development, public participation, and county spending in the material above.
What to Watch
The fundraising gap is substantial — Karbassi has raised nearly twice what Pacheco has. Who benefits from that spending advantage, and where the money is going (advertising, staff, outreach), shapes whose message reaches voters. The material does not break down how each campaign is spending its funds.
Pacheco’s rental assistance proposal has no identified funding source, and the county is facing a potential shortfall of $42 million to $241 million in indigent care alone due to federal fiscal policy changes. Where would that money come from, and what gets cut to pay for it?
Karbassi said he plans to remove current board and commission members and replace them with people who “better reflect our community.” Who are those current members, and what process determines whether they stay or go? The material does not identify who would be removed or what “better reflect” means in practice.
Both candidates are Democrats running for a seat on a board with a conservative majority. Does either candidate’s approach — Karbassi’s emphasis on bipartisan collaboration or Pacheco’s progressive endorsements — actually translate into getting policy through a board where they’ll be outnumbered?
