Fresno County erupts as Gavin Newsom accused of overreaching with better roads tax

A California county is pushing back against Gov.Gavin Newsom after he signed legislation forcing local officials to put a controversial road tax before voters.The governor signed AB 1923 last week, requiring Fresno County to place the Better Roads, Safe Streets initiative on the November ballot.The move came after three Fresno County supervisors voted to order a 30-day review of the citizen-backed measure, a step they argued was allowed under state election law.Critics accused the board majority of using the review to keep the proposal off the November ballot.

But Fresno County Board Chairman Garry Bredefeld claims the issue is bigger than the proposed tax.“This is bigger than one road tax,” Bredefeld said Thursday.“This is about whether Fresno County governs itself or whether political power and Sacramento connections can be used to overrule us whenever local voters and their representatives refuse to fall in line.”Bredefeld said the law effectively allows Sacramento to dictate how Fresno conducts its local elections.“The bill undermines local control, turning Fresno County into a ward of the state, unable to control its own destiny,” he said.The dispute centers on Better Roads, Safe Streets, a proposed half-cent sales tax intended to fund roads and transportation after the existing Measure C tax expires in June 2027.The initiative was submitted by citizens rather than the county government — a distinction that could make a major difference at the polls.Under current California court rulings, a citizen-sponsored special tax can pass with a simple majority, while a special tax placed on the ballot by a local government generally requires two-thirds approval. That timing is especially significant because Proposition 43 will also go before California voters this November.

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