Fresno taxpayers won’t pay for Measure C ‘voter education’ after all. Why the change of heart?

Fresno City Manager Georgeanne White canceled two controversial contracts for voter education materials on two ballot measures after the Fresno City Council approved them.

The contracts, totaling $600,000, were with local consulting firms to create educational materials on Measure C, a countywide transportation tax, and Measure M, a veterans district tax for the city of Fresno. Both measures are on the November ballot.

“With many pressing city issues, we decided to go in a different direction,” White said in a statement to The Bee.

The city manager used her authority to cancel the contracts with seven days’ notice.

Before the council approved the contracts, a coalition of community groups voiced strong opposition, particularly for the contract for Measure C. Opponents argued it was unlikely the education materials would be impartial and ultimately amount to using taxpayer money for campaign materials, which is illegal.

The contract for Measure M voter education materials received unanimous support from the Fresno City Council. The contract for the Measure C informational materials sparked a long debate and eventually won approval, with Councilmember Miguel Arias casting the lone “no” vote.

After the vote, the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association notified White that the organization would carefully monitor the materials. The letter pointed out that Los Angeles County paid $1.3 million after the organization sued over illegal use of public funds advocating the passage of its own tax measure.

“Why did the city change its mind? Because discretion is the better part of valor,” Jon Coupal, president of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, said after the contracts were canceled.

Measure C is a countywide proposed $7 billion, 30-year transportation spending plan renewal on the ballot.

The Measure C contract drew more criticism because Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer played a big role in crafting the ballot measure and is a major proponent. The No on C Committee argues that the plan does not do enough to build new sidewalks, improve public transit or fight climate change.

Measure M is a Fresno city proposed sales tax that would raise money for veterans facilities and services. Measure M is proposed as a 0.125% sales tax, or one-eighth of a percent, on sales of taxable goods and services in the city.

Councilmember Luis Chavez, who led the charge to put Measure M for a veterans district on the ballot, said he was disappointed the city won’t engage community members to educate them on the ballot measure.

“The goal was, is and will continue to be to ask the residents of Fresno to support our local veterans when it comes to mental health, substance abuse, emergency housing and PTSD support services,” Chavez said. “With the Veterans Day parade coming up, I’m sure we will honor, respect and dignify our veterans’ sacrifice overseas by supporting them here at home. They deserve nothing less.

“I’m confident that our community will support veterans in our city and support Measure M,” he said.

Fresno County ballots were sent out via the U.S. Postal Service earlier this month. Voters can return them in the mail until Nov. 8. In-person voting begins Saturday. For more information, visit the Fresno County Registrar of Voters website.