Fresno County’s transportation tax renewal – the replacement for Measure C, which expires June 30, 2027 – is entering a decisive period. Over the next few months, two competing tax measures, a state mandated ballot placement, and an active lawsuit will determine whether Fresno County has stable transportation funding or faces a multi year gap.
The countywide replacement proposal, now designated Measure S, qualified for the ballot after supporters submitted more than 22,000 valid signatures. But when the Board of Supervisors opted to delay action and missed the August 7 ballot deadline, state lawmakers intervened. Assemblymember Esmeralda Soria and Sen. Anna Caballero fast tracked AB 1923, an urgent bill requiring any certified Fresno County initiative to appear on the November ballot regardless of board action. Governor Gavin Newsom signed the bill on August 6, effectively placing Measure S on the ballot by state mandate.
The Board of Supervisors responded by voting 3–2 to sue the State of California, the county clerk, and the measure’s proponents, arguing that AB 1923 unlawfully overrides local authority. The county is seeking a temporary restraining order that could remove Measure S from the November ballot and push the vote to March 2028. Because ballots begin printing in early September, the timing of the court’s decision is critical. Any injunction issued before printing could force the measure off the ballot, leaving voters with only the city’s tax measure.
Meanwhile, the City of Fresno has placed its own half cent sales tax, Measure D, on the November ballot as a stopgap in case the countywide measure is delayed or struck down. Measure D is a general fund tax with no guaranteed transportation spending, but city leaders argue it is necessary to avoid losing tens of millions in annual road repair funding and prevent layoffs and transit cuts. A last minute attempt to withdraw the city measure failed when the council could not assemble a quorum, locking Measure D onto the ballot.
If no replacement measure is passed before 2031, Fresno County stands to lose more than $1 billion in construction funding over the next five years. Contractors should anticipate a sharp reduction in heavy‑civil bid volume and heightened competition for Measure C, SB 1, and federal grant opportunities. Agencies will increasingly rely on emergency repairs rather than planned capital work, while major corridor improvements are postponed, bridge rehabilitation cycles are extended, transit fleet and facility upgrades are delayed, and long‑term maintenance costs continue to rise due to deferred investment.
Unless the courts intervene, Fresno voters will face two tax measures this November — one citywide and one countywide — each with different implications for transportation funding. For AGC members, the stakes are significant: the outcome will shape capital planning, procurement schedules, and project delivery across Fresno County for years to come. The next 60 to 90 days will determine whether the region transitions smoothly into a new transportation funding cycle or enters a period of uncertainty that could delay or disrupt major infrastructure work.
Click here to read the Fresno Bee’s article on what’s happening with Measure C. For more information, please reach out to Tariq Bruno, Director of Government Affairs – NorCal at brunot@agc-ca.org
Published: August 24, 2026. Content is current as of this date and may evolve as new information becomes available. For advocacy questions, contact advocacy@agc-ca.com. For media inquiries, contact kentt@agc-ca.org.
