FRESNO, Calif. – Fresno County voters still have a week to weigh in on the half-cent sales tax projected to generate $7.4 billion for transportation projects through 2057.
But the financial aspect of the Measure S campaign, namely fundraising and spending, is already a landslide.
Bolstered by seven-figure support from the Central Valley Community Foundation, “Yes on Measure S” supporters have outraised their “No on Measure S” counterparts by a substantial margin.
The Yes on S campaign, also known as Fresno County Residents for Better Roads and Safe Streets, reported nearly $2.7 million in 2026 campaign donations as of last week’s filing deadline to the Fresno County Clerk/Registrar of Voters.
Yes on S also reported more than $2.4 million in spending, leaving the campaign with a $267,494 cash balance leading up to the Nov. 3 election.
By contrast, the No on S campaign received contributions of $80,000. It made $19,957 in expenditures as of last week, leaving a cash balance of $30,042.
Yes on S has reported dozens of individual contributions since the beginning of 2026 – none of them larger than the Central Valley Community Foundation (CVCF), the nonprofit headed by former Fresno Mayor Ashley Swearengin, which has pitched in nearly $1.1 million.
A small portion of that $1.1 million included non-monetary donations in the form of consulting and staff time.
The CVCF is also a corporate sponsor of KVPR.
Other large donors to Yes on S include $500,000 from the North Coast States Regional Council of Carpenters, a labor union representing tens of thousands of construction industry workers across Northern California, Oregon and Washington; and $400,000 from Fund For a Better Future, a Sacramento-based grantmaking organization that donates to conservation, climate and community causes.
The Yes on S donor roll also includes local nonprofits such as Leadership Counsel for Justice and Accountability and Fresno Building Healthy Communities, as well as labor organizations, developers, farmers and individuals.
“We’re really grateful and overwhelmed by all the individuals and groups who have contributed small and big,” Yes on S campaign manager Andy Levine said.
“This really is a grassroots effort and it's a reflection of people that not just are donating to the campaign, but are volunteering and canvassing for the measure,” Levine added.
The warchest has been tapped to fund television commercials, online ads, street signs, text messages and mailers.
By contrast, spending by the No on S side has been more modest. Radio ads and texts have been funded by contributions by developers Richard Spencer and Bonadelle Homes, as well as the campaigns for Fresno County Supervisors Nathan Magsig, Buddy Mendes and Garry Bredefeld.
The Central Valley Council, a political action committee headed by Fresno strategist Alex Tavlian, reported a $25,000 contribution Monday evening to No on S.
In recent days, placards with the words “S is a Scam” have been erected around Fresno next to Yes on S signs with an arrow pointing to them.
The signs indicate they were paid for by Valley Watchdogs, a PAC headed by former Fresno Unified trustee Brooke Ashjian. However, as of its latest filing, Valley Watchdogs did not report any corresponding spending for the signs.
Measure S needs a simple majority to pass. The half-cent sales tax would replace Measure C, which is set to expire June 30, 2027.
