Measure P 2.0? A new effort is underway to fund both parks and public safety in Fresno
A Fresno Rotarian during a mayoral forum on Monday asked Fresno’s leading candidates how they come down on Fresno’s parks vs. public safety debate after Measure P was defeated in 2018.
It turns out Jerry Dyer and Andrew Janz might not have to choose.
A new tax measure is in the works, and it would fund both parks and public safety – meaning Fresno’s police and fire departments.
Janz spoke about it at the Rotary meeting in downtown on Monday, saying he hopes the new measure would bring people together from both sides of the Measure P fight.
Many of the same coalition members behind Measure P are also behind the new effort.
This time, the proposed tax would be three-quarters of a cent split between parks and public safety. It would generate about $75 million annually and sunset in 20 years. If it passes, Fresno’s tax rate still would be lower than many other Central Valley cities, Janz said.
“Groups that were on the opposite sides last time have the opportunity to come together now on this,” he said.
Dyer said he’s seen the proposal and thinks there’s a good foundation to move forward.
“I hope that we can get to where we need to go,” he said. “I’m looking for a balanced measure. … I’m not a big tax proponent. I think in California we have seen our fair share of taxes. … We have to make sure we are competitive.”
Measure P coalition
Elliott Balch, the chief operating officer of the Central Valley Community Foundation, said the Measure P coalition from 2018 never stopped believing that Fresno’s major needs must be addressed.
“We want to see a transformative impact from anything where we are asking the public to pay a special tax. The outcome needs to be special, too,” he said. “Both sides of the concept will address both safety and health. We can’t have a healthy community and we can’t have a safe community without good public space.”
This time around, Balch said, the coalition hopes to qualify the ballot measure through City Council approval rather than gathering petition signatures, which took time, money and major people power.
He was careful to say that the proposal Janz mentioned was a starting point in discussions with stakeholders and may not be exactly what appears on the ballot.
The second try for a ballot measure will demonstrate whether Measure P opponents were being disingenuous about working together, said Sandra Celedon, president and CEO of Fresno Building Healthy Communities.
“We’re in a position where for folks who previously said they wanted to work together, this is where the rubber meets the road,” Celedon said. “True leadership is going to shine. … The Measure P coalition did not stop working or putting forth a vision for this city.”
The new measure must be transformative not only for parks but also for public safety, she said. That means beefing up personnel in the fire department to improve response times and implementing true community policing in the police department.
“Are we committed to a thriving Fresno where prevention is prioritized in both the parks system and safety?” she said. “We need to look beyond one view of safety in our community. … This is an opportunity for our city to define safety more holistically.”