Will Fresno voters help ‘Keep Our Zoo?’ Fresno Chaffee Zoo lands on the June ballot
Fresno County voters will have the chance to vote on a countywide sales tax to continue funding the Fresno Chaffee Zoo.
On Tuesday, Fresno County Board of Supervisors approved a resolution to include a measure on the June 7 Fresno County Primary Election ballot to extend Measure Z.
Measure Z is a one tenth of one percent, or 0.1%, sales tax that supports zoos, zoological facilities, and related zoological purposes in Fresno County, namely the Fresno Chaffee Zoo.
The tax, which was first approved in 2004 and is currently set to sunset in 2025, generates approximately $15 million dollars annually for Fresno Chaffee Zoo.
Measure Z has allowed Fresno Chaffee Zoo to “utterly transform as the public asked for,” said John Dolan, chief executive officer of Fresno Chaffee Zoo during Tuesday’s meeting.
Supervisors shared their support of Measure Z and Fresno Chaffee Zoo during Tuesday’s meeting.
Supervisor Steve Brandau said that while it’s “really questionable” if people get their money’s worth with many taxes, he thinks Measure Z is “very legit.”
“It’s proven itself to me,” said Brandau.
What will the ballot measure look like?
During the June elections, voters vote on the “KEEP OUR ZOO” ballot measure.
The ballot will read as follows:
Without raising tax rates and to maintain and upgrade humane animal care, basic needs such as food, heating, cooling, and safe habitats; protect threatened and endangered animals; maintain children’s and school field trip programs; and keep entrance fees low; shall an ordinance be adopted to continue the voter-approved 1/10th of 1% sales tax, established in 2004, providing approximately $15,000,000 annually for fifteen additional years, and all proceeds exclusively for Fresno Chaffee Zoo?
If approved by Fresno County voters in June, the Fresno County Zoo Authority Board would continue to use Measure Z revenue for three major areas:
Reimburse Fresno County of Fresno for the costs of the election, a sum that is estimated to cost between $115,000 to $130,000.
Two percent of the revenues would be available to pay the Authority’s administrative expenses, for any consultants or staff the Authority needs.
A minimum of two-thirds of the remaining revenue shall be for capital improvement projects.
Up to one third of the remaining revenue may be for operations and maintenance of the Fresno Chaffee Zoo.
Read more about Measure Z here.
This story was originally published March 8, 2022 at 11:15 AM.
