Measure C renewal is crucial

In 1986, Fresno County voters approved a visionary tax proposal that set the stage for the county to confirm its place as the capital of the San Joaquin Valley. It wasn't just a transportation plan that was established, but also an economic engine that has helped drive growth, jobs and prosperity in the region. Now that tax, Measure C, is up for renewal, and it is crucial to the county's future that it wins approval from voters on Nov. 7.

The Fresno County Board of Supervisors is scheduled to formally put the measure on the ballot on Tuesday. The plan is to have the half-cent sales tax extended for another 20 years, although it won't be exactly the same as its predecessor. The first tax was mostly for freeways, and this is a more balanced transportation plan now that the freeways in the area have been mostly built.

The biggest political hurdle in the renewal is the two-thirds majority that is now required for approval. That won't be easy to accomplish, but so far there's no organized opposition.

The measure would raise $1.7billion for freeways, local roads, bus systems and other transportation projects. All that is needed to help accommodate the massive growth that is expected in the region over the next several years.