The State of California is responsible for maintenance of State colleges. The Cal State Fresno muck e mucks has twice decided to rip off the people of Fresno—to tax themselves to expand the college. Now, for a second time, the voters told them to pound sand. If Newsom wants to promote these projects, the State, not the people of Fresno, should finance them. Again, a sales tax increase—which adds to inflation, was promoted by unions and greedy corporations—again, they were defeated.
“The measure needs a simple majority, or 50% plus one, to pass. The measure was polling at just over 43% approval late Tuesday evening compared with over 56% against. Turnout is currently at just over 16% of registered voters in Fresno County, with more ballots to be counted over the coming days and weeks.”
Measure E, the Fresno State tax, appears headed for defeat – again
A second attempt to pass a tax for improvements at Fresno State has an uphill battle to become law.
by Danielle Bergstrom, Fresnoland, 3/6/24 https://fresnoland.org/2024/03/06/measure-e/
Measure E, the Fresno State sales tax proposal, appears headed for defeat for a second time.
Measure E supporters have an uphill battle ahead in their second quest to get a one-fifth-cent sales tax passed for the purpose of upgrading Fresno State’s aging facilities.
The measure needs a simple majority, or 50% plus one, to pass. The measure was polling at just over 43% approval late Tuesday evening compared with over 56% against. Turnout is currently at just over 16% of registered voters in Fresno County, with more ballots to be counted over the coming days and weeks.
This is the second time Fresno State boosters, led by local contractor Richard Spencer, have tried to get Fresno County voters to support a tax for improvements at the university.
The November 2022 effort ultimately failed with just 47% of the vote.
Supporters of Measure E pointed to Fresno State’s nearly $500 million deferred maintenance backlog and a need to build more facilities for nursing and engineering students.
On Wednesday, Fresno State spokesperson Lisa Bell said it would be “premature” to comment before the outcome was “definitively decided.”
But those in opposition had numerous issues with the tax, from hefty salaries for the oversight committee, to a lack of guardrails in the ballot measure itself.
