Arambula and Thomas Face Off in Rematch for Fresno City Council District 3

SEDA, AI, and Measure D

Arambula opposes Mayor Jerry Dyer’s Southeast Development Area (SEDA) plan, particularly given Councilmember Brandon Vang’s opposition and concerns about scope creep: he questions why other parts of the city think they know better than Vang and worries that a broader Environmental Impact Review masks the full scope of SEDA. On AI data centers, he’s cautious, citing energy and water use concerns but noting new state reporting requirements will help guide his position. He’s also skeptical of Measure D, the city’s general tax, saying he needs more clarity from Dyer on guardrails and spending plans before committing.

Transportation, Arts, and Ethics

Arambula supports Measure S, the regional transportation tax, and voted for AB 1923 to ensure it appears on the November ballot. He’s open to establishing an internal city office for Measure P arts administration, noting each of California’s eight largest cities has such an office except Fresno. He’s critical of recent consultant contracts, citing ethical concerns around political spending, and on redistricting, he backs an independent commission with final say—echoing his success with AB 2030, which empowered such a commission for Fresno County in 2030.

Personal Transparency

Regarding divorce-related sobriety concerns, Arambula said things can get messy during such transitions and that he’s enjoying recovery and openness about his life. He expressed trust in voters to evaluate his record, noting he’s been willing to discuss both strengths and challenges in his life.

Keshia Thomas: Community Builder and Equity Advocate

Thomas, 53, serves on the Fresno Unified School Board and leads the Fresno Career Development Institute. A Southwest Fresno resident, she emphasizes neighborhood investment and local accountability. Her endorsements include Assemblymember Esmeralda Soria, Councilmember Annalisa Perea, and several school board colleagues. Her campaign has drawn support from labor unions and organizations focused on women and people of color, including Plumbers and Pipefitters UA Local 246 COPE ($11,800) and Black Women Organized for Political Action ($3,000).

SEDA and Equity in Southwest Fresno

Thomas has reservations about SEDA, citing insufficient investment in existing neighborhoods like her own. She noted there’s no bank in her area and only one grocery store, which she described as awful. She also opposes the Elm Avenue rezone, warning it could harm life expectancy in southwest Fresno. In May, she voted to formally oppose SEDA at Fresno Unified, after initially tabling the resolution before Dyer lobbied for its revival.

Homelessness and Childcare

Thomas wants a tailored homelessness strategy: each unhoused person needs something different, and the city must meet people where they are. She’s concerned about overreliance on police for social services and notes that District 3 absorbs much of the city’s unhoused population. On childcare, she advocates for support for families just above the poverty threshold, drawing from her own experience as a single mother. She’s open to employer-sponsored childcare and wants to ensure Fresno County receives its share of state childcare funding.

Housing, Vacant Buildings, and Ethics

Thomas favors local contractors like Sylvesta Hall, whose West Creek Village project includes southwest Fresno’s first Starbucks. She wants the city to include contingency clauses in contracts to avoid protracted litigation over underperforming developers. Regarding vacant buildings, she supports repurposing them as temporary housing and expanding revitalization incentives to downtown and Chinatown.

Redistricting and Accountability

Thomas supports resident involvement in redistricting but cautions against outsized influence from out-of-town consultants. She’s open to an ethics commission, saying the city needs to hold people accountable and that voters must choose ethical leaders. She also pledged to reject dark money and act ethically in office. She addressed her defamation case with former Bullard football coach Don Arax, issuing a public apology after learning initial information about a racial slur was inaccurate.

What’s at Stake

The District 3 race reflects broader debates over development, equity, and governance in Fresno. Arambula brings state-level experience and a focus on infrastructure and regional coordination, while Thomas emphasizes neighborhood-level investment and community-driven accountability. With both candidates favoring Measure S and expressing openness to AI data centers and ethics reform, the outcome could shape the city’s direction on housing, transportation, and public services for years to come.

Source: Fresnoland. Prepared with AI assistance from the linked reporting.