Fresno COG outlines Measure C renewal plan, highlights $66.8 million returned to Parlier under current measure

Good evening: Robert Phipps, executive director of the Fresno Council of Governments, told the Parlier City Council on Thursday that Measure C is a long-standing regional transportation sales tax the Fresno region is considering renewing in 2026.

Phipps said the tax “is not a new tax” and traced its origin to 1986. He told the council Measure C has generated roughly $2 billion locally while helping the region leverage about $8 billion in state and federal matching funds for major capital projects and maintenance.

Why it matters: Phipps said a lapse in Measure C funding would force “major cuts to road maintenance, transit operations, and major transportation projects” or postpone them by years. He also said the 2022 renewal effort received 58% approval but fell short of the roughly two‑thirds threshold required for passage.

Key details from the briefing: - Scope and history: Phipps described early Measure C spending as road maintenance and regional capital projects such as State Routes 41, 180 and 168 improvements, and said later renewals broadened eligible categories to include transit, bike/pedestrian projects and new technology funds. - Parlier funding: Since the 2006 renewal, Phipps said the city of Parlier has received about $66,800,000 from Measure C that supported projects including Manning Avenue, safety projects near several elementary schools, ADA curb ramps, pavement striping and street lighting; he added the transit operator (Fresno County Rural Transit Agency) receives a share that subsidizes local service. Phipps noted that Measure C funds are often used as match money to secure larger state and federal grants. - Cost to households: Phipps said the typical household cost for the measure is about $8 per month on average, with lower-income households paying less and higher-income households paying more; he added roughly 25% of the revenue is contributed by nonresidents passing through or visiting Fresno County. - Renewal process and outreach: The renewal is at an early, “blank slate” stage. Phipps said a steering committee is focusing on four issues: measure length, category allocations, distribution by agency, and oversight/accountability. He described online engagement tools at measurec2026.com and door‑to‑door canvassing that has reached about 1,300 Parlier residents so far. He described a public online tool that asks residents to divide a hypothetical $100 among four major categories: local street/road maintenance, large regional projects, public transportation, and active transportation.

Council response and next steps: Council members asked about local workshops and canvassing in Parlier; Phipps said there was not then a scheduled in‑person Parlier workshop but that canvassing, focus groups (including Spanish‑language sessions), virtual workshops and pop‑up booths were being used and that Fresno COG staff were available to present to local groups by request. He said Fresno COG and the Fresno County Transportation Authority will follow statutory processes and that any expenditure plan must be approved by various agencies and a majority of cities representing a majority of county population to reach the ballot.

Ending: Phipps encouraged residents to review spending details on measurec.com and to participate at measurec2026.com. He offered to return to Parlier for presentations and to set up a booth or a survey table at community events such as National Night Out.