Fresno votes to ‘Keep Our Zoo,’ as Measure Z cruises with more than 80% approval
Fresno voters said “yes” to extending a sales tax to support the Fresno Chaffee Zoo.
About 82.4% of voters supported Measure Z, according to returns from the Fresno County Elections Office.
Measure Z is a 1/10 of a 1% transaction and use tax to be administered by the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration.
The current tax, which expires on March 31, 2025, will now be extended for an additional 15 years. The tax is expected to provide $15 million annually. All proceeds will go exclusively to Fresno Chaffee Zoo operations and maintenance, support school field trip programs, and keep entrance fees low.
The measure needs a two-thirds majority vote in the primary election to be considered a victory.
Fresno County Zoo Authority officials responded to the preliminary results in an interview with The Bee on Tuesday.
“We’re all very excited,” Fresno County Zoo Authority President Michelle Roman said. “We had confidence in the voters that they understood the value of this.”
The history of Measure Z
In 2004, the Fresno County Board of Supervisors established a special tax at the rate of 0.1% for the support of zoos, zoological facilities, and related zoological purposes in Fresno County. At the time, the Fresno Chaffee Zoo was struggling to keep its accreditation.
Then, in 2014, the Board adopted a resolution to include an ordinance on the ballot that year, which included a 10-year extension on Measure Z. The extension was approved by 72.3% of Fresno County voters. According to the Fresno Chaffee Zoo website, Measure Z will allow the zoo to continue to provide animal care, upgrade and establish new exhibits, as well as provide educational and conservation opportunities to Fresno Chaffee Zoo visitors.
In March, the Fresno County Board of Supervisors approved a resolution to put Measure Z on the June 7 Fresno County Primary Election ballot to extend Measure Z.
However, in an April press conference on the proposed measure, Fresno County Zoo Authority officials said that Measure Z wouldn’t raise taxes, but rather be an extension of what already exists.
But during the March board meeting in which Fresno County supervisors decided to put the measure on the ballot, Supervisor Steve Brandau said that while it’s “really questionable” if people get their money’s worth with many taxes, Measure Z has “proven itself.”
How will Measure Z tax money be used?
The Fresno County Zoo Authority Board will 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 on the Fresno Chaffee Zoo website here.
This story was originally published June 7, 2022 at 10:23 PM.
