Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Transportation Funding topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Fresno COG outlines Measure C renewal, Kingsburg council presses for clearer local allocations
Summary
Fresno Council of Governments executive director Robert Phipps briefed Kingsburg City Council on the planned 2026 renewal of Measure C, the countywide transportation sales tax. Council members and residents asked for clearer allocation rules to ensure Kingsburg receives funding for local street maintenance and ADA work.
Robert Phipps, executive director of the Fresno Council of Governments, told the Kingsburg City Council on Aug. 20 that Fresno County is preparing a renewal of Measure C, the countywide transportation sales tax first approved around 1986.
Phipps said Measure C has generated about $2.1 billion over its lifetime and leveraged roughly $8 billion in additional state and federal funds for regional projects, and he described the proposed outreach and planning process for a 2026 renewal. "This is not a new tax," Phipps said. He estimated the measure currently costs the average household about $8 a month and said the Fresno COG steering committee has met several times to develop allocation recommendations.
Why it matters: Measure C funds local streets and large regional capital projects, from state highway interchanges to sidewalks and bikeways. Kingsburg officials and residents pressed for more detail on how the next measure would allocate dollars for local pavement maintenance and ADA work.
Council member North (first referenced as Council Member North) told Phipps she will support renewal only if the allocations protect Kingsburg's share for road repairs. "I'll support Measure C 100% if allocations are right for Kingsburg," she said, adding concern that strong current pavement condition (Kingsburg's PCI was cited as 66) could reduce the city's share under formulas that favor poorer-condition jurisdictions.
Phipps summarized Measure C's current structure: roughly one-third of funds return to jurisdictions for local projects, about a third go to regional capital projects, and other shares fund transit, active transportation and an environmental enhancement program. He listed past and planned Measure C-supported investments that benefit Kingsburg, including local street maintenance (about $2.8 million cited), ADA curb work (about $95,000) and several regional projects (Golden State Boulevard and Mountain View projects among them) with a combined local benefit estimate of about $43.9 million over time.
Council members and Phipps discussed process timelines and outreach. Phipps said a steering committee and a Fresno COG board deliberation would precede recommendations to the Fresno County Transportation Authority, which administers the measure. He referenced new websites (measurec.com and measurec2026.com) with jurisdiction-level funding detail. "People are going to want to know how their money has been spent," Phipps said.
Local reaction: Council members pressed Phipps about how allocations are calculated and whether alleys would be treated as road miles; Council Member Purcell said Kingsburg voters expect funds to "stay in Kingsburg." Phipps encouraged continued participation in the steering committee process and said the COG anticipates retaining much of the current measure structure while considering subcategory changes.
Ending: Phipps said Fresno COG expects to present allocation recommendations to boards in coming months and welcomed further meetings with city leadership. The council said it will continue to press for allocation language that protects Kingsburg's maintenance needs before endorsing renewal.
