Measure E, the proposed Fresno County sales tax that would generate up to $63 million a year and $1.525 billion over 25 years for academic and infrastructure upgrades at Fresno State, is off to a slow start.

Needing 50% of the vote plus one to pass, the measure had received just 46.2% of the votes in the first update from the county around 8 p.m. with 66,629 ballots counted.

A first iteration of the measure that failed in November 2022 received 47.1% of the votes.

Backers retooled the measure, with the new version to impose a quarter of a cent retail sales and use tax (0.25%) in Fresno County for 25 years. Of the revenue generated, 85% is slated for academic programs and facilities and 15% to athletics facilities. University officials have said there is a $500 million backlog of deferred maintenance projects on a campus where 62% of the buildings are at least 60 years old and 77% at least 30 years old.

A 2023 report from the state Legislative Analyst’s Office ranked Fresno State eighth among the 23 California State University campuses in the poorest condition of its facilities and 10th in highest projected capital renewal needs.

The report also said that the state has no plan to address identified capital renewal needs in the CSU or the 10-campus University of California systems.

Measure E also would create two endowments of $50 million to fund scholarships for local, low-income students, including veterans, and to fund deferred maintenance.