Are Fresno State programs worth a hike in sales taxes? Here is Bee’s view on Measure E

This fall Fresno State had 367 students qualify for admission into the university’s nursing program. Of them, 112 had a grade-point average of 4.0. The problem? Only 60 students could be admitted.

That’s because Fresno State’s aging facilities for nursing have a limited capacity.

Fresno State President Saúl Jiménez-Sandoval says the tight admissions problem comes as California struggles with a nursing shortage. The state will be short 40,500 nurses into 2026, according to a projection by the UCSF Health Workforce Research Center on Long-Term Care.

Among the registered nurses working in California, 30% are 55 years old or older, UCSF says.

Jiménez-Sandoval says the challenges facing Fresno State’s nursing program are similar to those confronting technical majors, like engineering, agriculture and other STEM disciplines. Classroom buildings are old and cramped, labs need to be modernized and more faculty are needed for instruction.

At this point, one would think that the California State University system would kick in more money to help Fresno State. After all, the state’s taxpayers support the CSU every year.

But that assumption would be wrong. Jiménez-Sandoval said the 23-campus CSU has $1 billion in deferred maintenance. Gov. Newsom’s allocation in the latest budget? Just $125 million in one-time funds for the whole system. Fresno State alone has $500 million of deferred maintenance, excluding athletic facilities.

The days of the taxpayers fully funding all the needs at Cal State campuses has been over for some time. Donations from alumni and grants are helpful, but cannot cover all the needs.

So a novel proposal will be on the November ballot to help Fresno State specifically. It is called Measure E, and it would raise $36 million a year for 20 years, or $720 million overall.

Supporters of the measure say it could be the game-changer to move Fresno State from being good to becoming great. The Fresno Bee Editorial Board agrees, and urges voters to pass the measure.

But the board’s backing is done with reluctance. Sales tax hikes are regressive, meaning they hit lower-income people harder than middle-to-upper-income earners.

In addition, local builder and construction company owner Richard Spencer was among those who conceived the measure and is now campaigning for it. So far, he is the largest contributor to the yes campaign, donating $1.275 million. His firm, Harris Construction, built the Jordan Agricultural Research Center at Fresno State. While CSU headquarters officials — not Fresno State — will choose what companies get construction contracts, Spencer’s involvement raises questions.

Measure E’s details

Measure E would apply a two-tenths-of-a-cent tax on all sales in Fresno County. Tim Orman, the measure’s consultant, says that equals a penny on a $5 purchase.

Two-thirds of the money raised must go to improving academic programs. The other third can go to athletics, but there must be equal support for men’s and women’s sports. One of the university’s biggest needs is to modernize its 41-year-old football stadium.

“The real purpose is to repair and modernize buildings that were built in the 1960s, and in some cases in the ‘50s,” said Orman. Older structures create a cap on enrollment, which is around 25,000 now. Measure E “would allow Fresno State to add more students, and they would mostly be from Fresno and the Central Valley,” he added.

Representatives of the Libertarian Party have written the argument against Measure E that appears in the Fresno County voter guide. The argument is that elected officials thoughtlessly use public money and cannot be trusted with more.

But built into Measure E is a requirement for an oversight committee that will determine what school priorities will be funded. It will also issue an audit each year on the spending so the public can hold the committee accountable. Members are to be chosen by the county supervisors.

An additional aspect of Measure E is that some of the money raised would be devoted to scholarships for low-income students. The committee would determine the amount to be offered and criteria for awarding.

Most residents won’t notice

The idea of double taxation is unpleasant. But the fact is that already occurs in different ways. Fresno County voters approved years ago of Measure C, which raises money for road improvements.

Another way costs are handled are school bonds. Various school districts in the county, notably Clovis Unified, have relied on voter-approved bonds to build new campuses and modernize existing ones.

In reality, most people won’t really feel the impact of Measure E in their daily purchases. Measure E is a way to ensure Fresno State’s continued success into the future.

The university is a beacon for advancement and lifelong success in the San Joaquin Valley. More than 60% of its students are the first in their families to attend college. And 80% of graduates remain in the Valley to apply their knowledge and skills to making the region better.

Measure E would be a significant factor in helping Fresno State move from being a good university to a great one. The Bee Editorial Board recommends voters approve it in the November election.