Fresno County Supervisor Garry Bredefeld speaks at an Aug. 6, 2026 news conference against a transportation tax that Gov. Gavin Newsom signed into law, putting it on the November ballot against a supervisor decision. Photo by Emi Obrero
published on August 6, 2026 – 4:11 PM
Written by Emi Obrero
Fresno County voters will decide the fate of a countywide transportation tax this November after Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill that overrides a local board decision to keep the measure off the ballot.
Newsom signed Assembly Bill 1923 on Thursday, according to a news release. The bill, introduced by Assemblymember Esmeralda Soria and Sen. Anna Caballero through a “gut-and-amend” procedure with the former distressed hospital loan bill, places the “Fresno County Transportation Improvement Act” on the Nov. 3, 2026 general election ballot, state officials said. The act is a successor to Fresno County’s Measure C.
AB 1923 bypassed a recent order by Fresno County leaders to conduct further study on the “Better Roads, Safe Streets” transportation tax — an order that effectively removed the measure from the November ballot.
Litigation threatened
Ahead of the bill’s approval, county officials held a news conference Thursday at the Fresno County Hall of Records to argue against what they called Sacramento’s election interference and to raise the possibility of litigation over AB 1923. The conference was led by Supervisors Garry Bredefeld and Buddy Mendes, Reedley Mayor Matthew Tuttle and Clovis Mayor Pro Tem Diane Pearce. They urged Newsom not to sign the bill.
The officials said the bill’s implementation excluded local elected officials, disregarded traditional election law and targeted Fresno County specifically despite being passed by Sacramento politicians.
Each of the leaders said the bill would negatively affect transportation and road services for Fresno County residents and set a precedent for state override of local county authority.
“This is bigger than one road tax. This is about whether Fresno County governs itself, or if the 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 Swearengin factor
The four officials said they believe the effort to place the tax on the ballot was directed by Ashley Swearengin, CEO of the Central Valley Community Foundation and a former Fresno mayor, who they said had previously tried and failed to advance the measure on her own.
Their criticism of Swearengin centered on the foundation’s alleged relationship with a nonprofit tied to Newsom’s wife — a connection the officials said they believe created bias in favor of the bill. Swearengin could not be reached for comment Thursday.
Despite those allegations, the “Fresno County Transportation Improvement Act” will now appear on the Nov. 3, 2026 general election ballot.
“Thank you Governor Newsom for signing this bill. Thank you for recognizing the voters of Fresno County did everything in their power to qualify this initiative for the ballot — despite a last-minute procedural maneuver by their own board of supervisors to delay and deny Democracy,” Soria said. “I am proud to announce the ‘Fresno County Transportation Improvement Act’ will appear on this November’s ballot, just as the voters intended.”
Fresno steps back
The City of Fresno approved a plan last week to create its own transportation tax in the absence of a countywide measure. But with this statewide action, city officials announced Thursday they will not submit the measure to the county clerk for the November ballot.