In this last example, we\u2019re of course talking about SEDA, the mega-development nearly every candidate says they won\u2019t support as is, but maybe they will, in the future if it\u2019s changed. Hardly courageous positions.<\/p>\n
We\u2019ve heard that city elections this year are \u201creally\u201d about SEDA, but with little to separate many of the candidates, we\u2019ve largely set aside that debate in our endorsement calculus.<\/p>\n
We decided to isolate some other issues we feel are important and pressure tested some of the platforms.<\/p>\n
Read about our plans for a community editorial board<\/a><\/p>\n Here\u2019s where we stand<\/p>\n Anti-camping ordinance<\/a>: We believe the general idea of incentivizing some homeless people into treatment and transitional housing is laudable, but making arrests with diversion into treatment has failed, the numbers show. The ordinance, however well-intentioned, just isn\u2019t working. It needs to be rethought.<\/p>\n High-Speed Rail<\/a>: We believe the project is vitally important for Fresno, which is slated to be home to the first station. The station would spur economic activity and growth, and it could connect the Central Valley with the coast in positive ways we can\u2019t yet imagine.<\/p>\n Soccer stadium:<\/a> We believe that downtown needs to be smartly reinvigorated and that a new soccer stadium using an innovative public-private financing model could work to boost economic activity downtown and leverage soccer\u2019s popularity in the community. A new stadium also could spur potential development in Chinatown, which is sorely in need of more private investment beyond property speculation.<\/p>\n Image work<\/a>: We believe that Fresno has been poorly marketed to outsiders by our local and state leaders and that they need to work harder to fight the negative stereotypes about Fresno, the fifth-largest city in California. We\u2019d be looking for councilmembers to advocate for smart marketing plans to change the narrative and attract more outside interest and investment.<\/p>\n With these issues in mind, we are ultimately judging candidates on whether they have a fresh perspective and enough practical leadership experience to do the job. Councilmembers with some combination of those two attributes are what the city needs right now.<\/p>\n The editorial board \u2013 with help from several community advisors \u2013 offers these endorsements. Click on the links for more details.<\/p>\n After the primary, we\u2019ll expand the community editorial board so we can offer endorsements in more races in the November general election and offer recommendations on important non-electoral issues.<\/p>\n If a candidate wins at least 50 percent plus one vote in the primary, they win the seat. In a runoff scenario, the top two vote-getters in the primary advance to the November contest.<\/p>\n With crowded fields in wide-open Fresno city council and county supervisor races, there\u2019ll likely be several runoffs in the general election.<\/p>\n Candidate forum videos<\/p>\n We invited the candidates from each of the four city council races to candidate forums that we recorded and that you can find below. We encourage voters and everyone to watch and listen to truly understand the candidates\u2019 positions on issues important to Fresno\u2019s present and future.<\/p>\n This story was originally published May 7, 2026 at 10:59 AM.<\/p>\n