A handful of conservative Fresno County leaders compared themselves to David—the young shepherd who defeats the giant warrior Goliath in a biblical story—as they launched their campaign against Measure S, the countywide transportation tax ballot measure.
The group made the biblical analogy as they launched their official opposition campaign on Tuesday at a press conference in Clovis. Most of the group has long made their positions known, arguing that Measure S, designed to take over after Measure C expires, imposes too many restrictions on road repair and allocates too much money for public transportation and bike lanes.
“Fresno County, we can do better than what is on the measure right now,” Reedley Mayor Matthew Tuttle said. “We can do better than a flawed measure. We should have done better.”
An alternative plan that focused more money on roads did not garner enough signatures to qualify for the November ballot. The current tax, Measure C, raises about $160 million annually for Fresno County transportation projects.
With legal obstacles overcome, the 30-year half-cent general sales tax measure will appear on the Nov. 3 ballot for Fresno County voters to consider. Measure S is projected to raise roughly $7.4 billion over its lifetime, with 65% dedicated to existing road repair, 25% to public transit, 4% to transit innovation, 4% to regional projects, 1% to oversight and 1% to the airport.
Measure S is a new tax but its passage would not raise the tax burden in Fresno County, as the existing half-cent transportation tax, Measure C, expires in 2027.
Fresno County supervisors Garry Bredefeld and Buddy Mendes, Clovis Mayor Pro Tem Diane Pearce, Reedley Mayor Matthew Tuttle and Brooke Ashjian, chair of the Valley Watchdogs Political Action Committee, at a “No on Measure S” news gathering in Clovis on Tuesday. Liliana Fannin Local roads
The plan’s toughest critic, Chairman of the Fresno County Supervisors Garry Bredefeld, said that with $3 billion in deferred road maintenance throughout the county, the spending plan does not commit enough to fixing local roads to sufficiently address the issue.
He also dislikes that Measure S would require at least 120 miles of bike paths or lanes be constructed over its 30-year lifetime.
“It’s a public transportation tax disguised as a roads tax,” Bredefeld said. “Look now at the Tower District, Blackstone Avenue, Barstow Avenue between Cedar and First. They have already reduced car lanes and made bus and bike lanes that people don’t use.”
Supporters say that without Measure S, the county will lose millions of dollars in vital transportation funds and could face mass layoffs.
“It was alluded that there would be some layoffs,” Bredefeld said. “But the bottom line is this: A piece of crap is a piece of crap, and it’s not better than having nothing.”
Measure S organizers point to broad coalition of supporters
Following the opposition campaign launch on Tuesday, Measure S organizers released a statement pointing out the diverse group of supporters behind it, including some Republican mayors, like Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer and Clovis Mayor Vong Mouanoutoua.
“There is a reason Measure S has attracted widespread support across Fresno County,” said Andy Levine, the measure’s campaign manager. “Mayors and councilmembers representing large cities and small rural communities, along with business, labor and community leaders, support Measure S because their communities need dependable transportation funding and because the plan invests throughout the county.”
The city councils of Fresno, Clovis, Mendota, Parlier, Huron and a few others have voted to formally support Measure S, also known as the “Better Roads, Safe Streets” initiative.
“There is only one solution on the ballot to fix potholes, repair neighborhood streets, and improve safety in Fresno County without raising taxes: Measure S,” the statement said.
The Leadership Counsel for Justice and Accountability organized a rally on Monday, July 13, 2026, in downtown Fresno to urge support of the Better Roads, Safe Streets ballot measure. LILINA FANNIN lfannin@fresnobee.com Regional projects, oversight
Opponents argued that the 4% of funds dedicated to regional projects isn’t enough. Reedley Mayor Tuttle said that rural communities need funds for regional projects to improve Reed, Frankwood and Manning avenues.
There was also criticism over the change in oversight that Measure S would have compared to Measure C.
Measure C created the Fresno County Transportation Authority (FCTA) that approved how the tax revenue was spent and managed correctly. Measure S would eliminate FCTA and have the Fresno Council of Governments (COG) complete independent audits of all performance reports that each city and the county would be required to submit on tax revenues and expenditures.
Measure S would also expand a Citizen Oversight Committee, which would have the authority to review financial reports and recommend actions.
“In essence, the money will be allocated by the same radicals and environmental whackos who created the Measure S tax scam,” Bredefeld said.
Clovis Mayor Pro Tem Diane Pearce, left, speaks at a press conference to announce a formal opposition campaign to Measure S on Tuesday, September 22, 2026. Liliana Fannin If Measure S fails, can everyone come together to make a new version?
The opposition group agreed there is a need for some version of a county transportation tax measure to eventually succeed Measure C, but members oppose the idea that it’s vital for one to be passed this election.
There was an alternative transportation tax created to compete with Measure S called “Fix Our Roads,” but it failed to collect enough signatures to appear on the November ballot.
“The sky’s not falling,” Clovis Mayor Pro Tem Diane Pearce said. “We won’t be out of transportation dollars, and we’ll be able to come up with something that’ll truly meet the needs of the people and give the residents of Fresno County exactly what they’ve been asking for, which is to fix their roads.”
Who is Funding Measure S?
The Measure S campaign has raised $1.35 million as of it’s June 30 filing and has $12,600 left in the bank.
Campaign finance reports show the Central Valley Community Foundation, led by former Fresno Mayor Ashley Swearengin, has been the measure’s primary backer, with $810,000 donated so far. The North Coast States Carpenters Union also donated $250,000.
Recently, Kathryn Taylor, the wife of former Democratic gubernatorial candidate Tom Steyer donated $20,000.
Measure S needs to secure a simple majority of the vote at the November 3 general election to pass.
This story was originally published September 23, 2026 at 4:10 PM.
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