Opinion articles provide independent perspectives on key community issues, separate from our newsroom reporting.

Marek Warszawski

Update: Bee column about 91-year-old being fined by officials gets Fresno mayor’s action

Maria Mogan and son Mike Mogan stand near the address number plate that had been covered by a palm frond, which has since been pruned, outside her northwest Fresno home Monday, Feb. 21, 2022.
Maria Mogan and son Mike Mogan stand near the address number plate that had been covered by a palm frond, which has since been pruned, outside her northwest Fresno home Monday, Feb. 21, 2022. ckohlruss@fresnobee.com

After online publication of Marek Warszawski’s column Tuesday morning, Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer met with Maria Mogan and her son Mike Mogan at City Hall and agreed to rescind the $781 fine. Dyer also apologized to Maria Mogan for the stress caused by the ordeal.

Maria Mogan is a 91-year-old widow with one eye and a heart condition. The city had fined her $781.46, inflated by administrative fees and late charges. She faced having to pay it or else a $901.46 assessment was to be tacked onto her next property tax bill.

All this because she allowed some palm fronds growing in front of her northwest Fresno house to obscure the address number sign.

Read the column here

This story was originally published February 22, 2022 at 2:40 PM.

Get unlimited digital access
#ReadLocal

Try 1 month for $1

CLAIM OFFER