{"id":428279,"date":"2026-08-09T18:58:08","date_gmt":"2026-08-09T18:58:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/428279\/"},"modified":"2026-08-09T18:58:08","modified_gmt":"2026-08-09T18:58:08","slug":"gov-gavin-newsom-forces-roads-tax-on-one-california-county","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/428279\/","title":{"rendered":"Gov. Gavin Newsom forces roads tax on one California county"},"content":{"rendered":"

A California county is pushing back against Gov. Gavin Newsom after he signed legislation forcing local officials to put a controversial road tax<\/a> before voters.<\/p>\n

The governor signed AB 1923 on Thursday, requiring Fresno County to place the Better Roads, Safe Streets initiative<\/a> on the November ballot. <\/p>\n

If passed, the proposal whole allow a half-cent sales tax used to fund roads and other forms of transport. <\/p>\n

The existing Measure C tax expires in June 2027.<\/p>\n

The move came after three Fresno County supervisors voted to order a 30-day review of the citizen-backed measure, a step they argued was allowed under state election law.<\/p>\n

\"GovernorGov. Gavin Newsom signed legislation forcing local officials to put a road tax before voters in Fresno County. Anadolu via Getty Images<\/p>\n

Critics accused the board majority of using the review to keep the proposal off the November ballot.<\/p>\n

But Fresno County Board Chairman Garry Bredefeld claims the issue is \u201dbigger than the proposed tax.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is about whether Fresno County governs itself or whether political power and Sacramento connections can be used to overrule us whenever local voters and their representatives refuse to fall in line,\u201d Bredefeld said Thursday<\/a>. <\/p>\n

Bredefeld said the law effectively allows Sacramento to dictate how Fresno conducts its local elections.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe bill undermines local control, turning Fresno County into a ward of the state, unable to control its own destiny,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

The initiative was submitted by citizens rather than the county government \u2014 a distinction that could make a major difference at the polls.<\/p>\n

Under current California court rulings, a citizen-sponsored special tax<\/a> can pass with a simple majority, while a special tax placed on the ballot by a local government generally requires two-thirds approval.\u00a0<\/p>\n

That timing is especially significant because Proposition 43 will also go before California voters this November.<\/p>\n

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If approved, Proposition 43 would require citizen-sponsored special taxes to clear the same two-thirds threshold beginning in 2027. A delay until 2028 could therefore make passage of the Fresno measure substantially harder.<\/p>\n

Assemblymember Esmeralda Soria<\/a> and state Sen. Anna Caballero backed AB 1923 after accusing Fresno supervisors of using the review process to delay the measure, describing it as a \u201dwin\u201d for democracy and voting rights. <\/p>\n

The legislation itself was also unusual. AB 1923 originally dealt with California\u2019s Distressed Hospital Loan Program before lawmakers stripped that language and replaced it with the Fresno County election mandate. Newsom then signed the urgency measure.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Bredefeld now says they are now considering taking Sacramento to court, with Fresno County hiring an election-law specialist, who is expected to brief supervisors Tuesday.<\/p>\n

\"AerialFresno County\u2019s Garry Bredefeld said the law allows Sacramento to dictate how Fresno conducts local elections. Marcus \u2013 stock.adobe.com<\/p>\n

The county chairman argues the legislation may violate California\u2019s constitutional restrictions on laws targeting a single county.<\/p>\n

AB 1923 attempts to justify its Fresno-only provisions by citing the county\u2019s \u201cunique fiscal circumstances,\u201d including the coming expiration of Measure C.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThe fight has just begun,\u201d Bredefeld said.<\/p>\n

The proposed tax will now head toward the November ballot \u2014 unless Fresno County gets a judge to stop Sacramento\u2019s latest intervention first.<\/p>\n

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