Who gets to decide what safety looks like in the city of Fresno and how are taxpayer dollars used to build that? A new advocacy group, Fresnans for a People’s Budget (FPB), formed to bring awareness to these simple, yet powerful questions. As the next budget cycle approaches, that conversation is growing louder as the FPB amplifies its message.
According to its Instagram, the “FPB aims to reallocate and reinvest in community care and reduce police spending and fund resources the community needs to thrive & prosper.” Nearly a year in, the group has focused on base building, community engagement, awareness and education, creating spaces where residents can understand the City’s budget and engage in discussion.
The idea to found the group occurred when nearly a dozen Fresnans brought their concerns to the Fresno City Council on April 10, 2025, over a consent agenda item to “Approve the renewal of the Fresno Police Department Annual Military Equipment Use Report as originally required by Assembly Bill 481, codified under Government Codes 7070-7075.”…