After months of gathering signatures across Fresno County, supporters of the Better Roads, Safe Streets initiative cleared a major hurdle by qualifying their transportation sales tax measure for the November ballot. But campaign organizers say the effort now faces another challenge as the Fresno County Board of Supervisors weighs whether to place the measure before voters or delay the process, potentially jeopardizing the initiative’s future.
“Better Roads, Safe Streets is a measure created by the voters who drive these roads, ride these buses, walk these neighborhoods and send their children to schools throughout the county,” said Veronica Garibay, a campaign member with Better Roads, Safe Streets. “This is a measure of the voters, built by the voters and intended to be decided by the voters.”
In 2022, Measure C — the current transportation tax that was passed in 1986 and renewed by voters in 2006 — failed to pass in the midterm elections, needing a two-thirds vote.
Fast forward four years, the Better Roads, Safe Streets coalition launched a citizen-led initiative in January to replace Measure C before it expires in 2027. According to its website, the initiative is supported by a majority of Fresno leaders like Mayor Jerry Dyer and the Fresno City Council.
Its support reaches past the city of Fresno, with Mayor of Clovis Vong Mouanoutoua and Mayor of Kerman Maria Pacheco both backing it. Organizations like Planned Parenthood and the Fresno Teachers Association are also in support of the Better Roads, Safe Streets initiative.
Marisol Herrera, a volunteer with Better Roads, Safe Streets, says that focusing on local infrastructure over highways, and other things that the current tax plan focuses on now, will be beneficial for the future of Fresno County. She says the campaign is advocating for safer roads, more secure ways for children to get to school and also improving transportation other than cars by adding more bike lanes and making public transportation more reliable.
“We shouldn’t have to worry about having access to school, work, hospitals, groceries,” Herrera said.
Now that Fresno County election officials have verified enough signatures for the initiative to qualify, the Fresno County Board of Supervisors must decide how to proceed. They can vote to place the measure on the November ballot or order a report evaluating the initiative’s fiscal effects before taking further action.
Supporters argue that requesting the report could delay the board’s final action past the state’s Aug. 7 deadline for certifying ballot measures, preventing voters from considering the proposal in November despite the successful signature drive.
If this initiative doesn’t pass, Herrera says that the county could see issues with potholes, delays in public transportation and limited transportation opportunities in rural areas. During her time with the Better Roads, Safe Streets campaign, she noticed that people were excited, especially those in areas with bad public transit and rural communities, to be involved in the planning and were involved in a plan that helped their needs.
“[Measure C] had a 30 year run and we have to vote for the future we want,” Herrera said.
Campaign organizers say the issue extends beyond the measure itself. They argue that after thousands of residents signed petitions to qualify the initiative, the decision now rests with the Board of Supervisors to determine whether voters will have the opportunity to decide the county’s transportation funding plan at the ballot box this fall.
Garibay says that the people attended meetings, generated ideas and signed their names on petitions to make sure the Better Roads, Safe Streets initiative is successful, they should be able to vote on it without a delay from the Fresno County Board of Supervisors.
“Fresno County voters participated in this process,” Garibay said. “They must let our community vote.”
The Better Roads, Safe Streets initiative aims to replace Measure C in November. Approximately, two-thirds of the funding will go toward improving roads in all Fresno County cities and rural areas. The improvements will target neighborhoods and communities first by fixing potholes, alleyways, medians while also upkeeping and creating sidewalks.
According to the initiative’s site, this will improve roads and help reach an average Pavement Condition Index of 70, which engineers consider ‘good condition’ for transportation infrastructure. Funds will be distributed and allocated directly to cities and the county to support street repairs, traffic safety and neighborhood road improvements.
The Better Roads, Safe Streets funding comes from the same place as Measure C’s funding: Sales tax.
It takes half-a-cent for every taxable dollar and moves it into the Better Roads, Safe Streets’ budget where it gets distributed to the appropriate areas.
The Better Roads, Safe Streets initiative will also help improve transit. This will include funding for buses and improving bike lanes in Fresno County.
The initiative says that, with a fourth of the budget, public transportation will be more accessible and will be faster to connect people to their work, jobs, schools and other important services. The plan offers zero-fare transit for students, people who are 62 or older, people with disabilities, veterans and active military.
The campaign’s 30 year projection has them receiving over $4 billion in funding just for improving neighborhood streets and roads and over $1 billion in funding for public transportation in that time period.
The Fresno County Board of Supervisors will be taking action on what to do with the Better Roads, Safe Streets initiative during their July 14 meeting.
