Could Calwa Become Part of Fresno? Talks Are Underway

The community of Calwa could officially become part of the city of Fresno, says Mayor Jerry Dyer.

“It would not be a financial benefit to us,” Dyer told the Government Affairs Council of the Fresno Chamber on Wednesday. “We would absorb it.”

While talks of annexing Calwa  — with a population of about 2,000 in the vicinity of Cedar and Jensen avenues  — is not new, the recent Measure C discussions renewed the efforts. Dyer presented a plan last week that reformulated the spending equation for the proposed $6.8 billion sales tax extension for transportation projects.

Approximately $187 million will be taken away from unincorporated portions of Fresno County and spent in the cities instead. Dyer said the annexation of cities would eventually even out the money the county is losing out on.

When land is annexed into a city like Fresno, the city and county split the tax revenue. At one point, it was a 50/50 share. Then, it was 38%/62% in favor of the county. The tax sharing agreement expired two years ago.

Dyer agreed to return to the 38/62 split with the updated Measure C plan. He says he has been talking with city councilman Luis Chavez and Fresno County Supervisor Sal Quintero about the annexation.

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Above: Mayor Jerry Dyer talks about Measure C with the Government Affairs Council. (GV Wire/David Taub). Below, a map of Calwa. (GV Wire/Paul Marshall)

Also in Politics 101…

• Marijuana retail in Fresno may have started, but a committee to spend the taxes has not.
• Fresno City Council meets during a scheduled vacation week.

Still No Marijuana Spending Committee

Now that the first two retail marijuana shops have opened in Fresno, the city is finally collected sales tax — 10% of sales.

Related Story: High Interest as Cannabis Store Sales Begin in Fresno

Voters passed Measure A in 2018, which is supposed to establish a nine-member committee to recommend how to spend the money. Ten percent of the tax collected goes to a separate Community Benefit Fund.

As of today, no one has been nominated to serve on the board. The mayor has two selections, and each councilmember has one. Measure A did not specify a timetable for establishing the committee.

Up to 21 retail cannabis licenses will be granted — only one license remains unissued.

The city also faced seven lawsuits from applicants that did not make the cut. The city has prevailed in two of them so far. The remaining litigation is in various stages of the court process.

Council Working During Its Break

Even though the Fresno City Council had no scheduled meetings since it passed the budget on June 30, it had two closed session meetings this week.

On Tuesday, the city council met to discuss the bus drivers’ contract. Thursday, the board met to discuss the Tower Theatre purchase.

As of Thursday, escrow has not closed on the city’s $6 million purchase of the theater.

Neither meeting produced an announcement of a result. The next regularly scheduled meeting is July 21.