To make up revenue gaps, Fresno County Supervisors on Tuesday directed staff to create an ordinance and tourist tax to go before voters in November.

Called a transient occupancy tax, the fee applies to all hotels, campgrounds, RV sites, and short-term rentals in the unincorporated parts of the county.

Fresno County is the only California county to have taxable properties in its unincorporated area that doesn’t have an occupancy tax, staff told supervisors on Tuesday.

Depending on the rate they propose, the tax could raise between $3 million and $5 million, staff estimated. Both Fresno and Clovis have 12% taxes.

Supervisor Nathan Magsig said during the meeting that revenues could keep the county from dipping into other sources.

“As the only county in the state that doesn’t currently collect, and with our rising costs, it means that we’re going to have to dip into other discretionary sources,” Magsig said.

1,600 Hotels Rooms and RV-Campground Sites

Visit Fresno County first informed supervisors about not having the tax, said president Lisa Oliviera. Money typically goes to support other county services.

“Since it’s paid by the visitor, anyone from outside the area, it seems like it’s a win for the county and this community,” Oliviera said.

Supervisors said the proposed tax may not be popular with voters considering that Fresno County residents may have three other tax initiatives on the ballot.

Coalition group Moving Fresno Forward is currently collecting signatures to put a new half-cent transportation sales tax on the November ballot. GV Wire reported Wednesday another group is nearly ready to support a rival transportation tax. Fresno County supervisors, led by board chair Garry Bredefeld, also directed county counsel to explore putting a third sales tax measure on the ballot.

County Administrative Officer Paul Nerland, however, said “there’s never a good time.”

Supervisors echoed that sentiment, saying they don’t know what 2028 might bring.

The transient tax would apply to roughly 1,600 hotel rooms, RV sites, and campground spots in Fresno County, county staff reported. It would also apply to about 665 short-term rentals. When the city of Fresno approved its tax, it had to partner with AirBNB and VRBO to get an exact number.

The timeline to get a tax on the ballot would be limited. Nerland said ideally, a draft ordinance would be presented to the public in April. An official ordinance would get a vote in June, and if approved, outreach would begin in July.