Measure E, the proposition announced to raise $1.6 billion over 25 years for Fresno State, is currently losing the majority vote.
‘NO’ voters were taking the lead in opposing the measure, according to the latest returns on Wednesday afternoon.
“That is a gut punch on a campus…that is in a California State University system with 22 other campuses in similar predicaments and in a state with no plan to address its decaying classrooms and facilities on CSU and University of California campuses,” said Robert Kuwada in an article published in the Fresno Bee.
When the measure first appeared on the ballot in November 2022, it needed a simple majority to pass. However, the proposition failed with about a 6% difference.
This year, Measure E opponents hold the majority once again with nearly 13% more votes overall.
The latest version of the tax proposition is proving to be a burden Fresno County residents do not want to take on.
“The people of Fresno County should not be burdened with a tax increase to pay for improvements that the state should be doing of its own,” said George Radanovich, former Republican Congressman, reported ABC30.
Although it was on the ballot, the entire measure was just a draft, with no set and determined project list. The money generated from the sales tax was proposed to address things like asbestos, clean water concerns and to develop new projects within a 2-mile “improvement zone.”
Fresno State Athletics would also receive a portion of the money. Athletics would have received $240 million from the expected revenue to further nine projects, including renovating Valley Children’s Stadium.
In a Collegian investigation, it was discovered that Fresno State’s spending on athletics using student and taxpayer-subsidized funds has more than tripled in 15 years.
The 2024 iteration of the measure was expected to be a 0.25% sales tax increase, (one cent for every $4) and would have generated nearly $1.6 billion in revenue over 25 years.
Despite the benefits Measure E would entail for Fresno State and its heavy endorsement, it appears that the people of Fresno have spoken with nearly half of the total vote accounted for.
Live updates for the results can be found here.
