Mike Karbassi stepping down as Fresno City Council president

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Mike Karbassi has announced helium is stepping down arsenic the Fresno City Council's president amid his run for a Fresno County Supervisor seat.

Karbassi volition officially beryllium stepping down from his presumption connected Monday, March 16, astatine noon.

He has endorsed metropolis assembly vice president Nelson Esparza, who represents Fresno's District 7, to win him. Other councilmembers indispensable elite the adjacent assembly president.

In a connection to Action News, Karbassi wrote: "I'm excited to give my afloat attraction to campaigning for a amended Fresno County and proceed warring for Fresno residents portion representing District 2."

Karbassi is campaigning for the Fresno County Board of Supervisors District 1 contention this November. Incumbent Brian Pacheco is not seeking re-election for the supervisor's seat.

The pursuing is an email Karbassi sent retired to his colleagues connected Friday:

Dear Colleague,

It has been a tremendous grant to person your spot successful starring the Fresno City Council for 2 consecutive years. I person been grateful for the accidental to enactment alongside you to determination Fresno forward.

Together, we bridged the disagreement with the County of Fresno to trim the outgo of surviving and grow the lodging banal for Fresnans.

Effective Monday, March 16th astatine noon, my word volition end. While this modulation marks the extremity of my clip arsenic Council President, my committedness to the City of Fresno and our constituents remains unchanged.

I'm arrogant to enactment Council Vice President Nelson Esparza to instrumentality the gavel and anticipation you volition articulation maine successful supporting him to measurement into the leadership.

We look large challenges this year, opening with our budget.

I volition proceed to absorption my efforts connected expanding our taxation base, warring for affordable lodging for each Fresnans, and maintaining the level of nationalist information extortion and indispensable services that our residents person travel to expect.

I look guardant to continuing our enactment unneurotic to fortify our neighborhoods, enactment section businesses, and guarantee Fresno remains a large spot to live, work, and rise a family.

Thank you for your concern and dedication to our city.

In Service,

Mike Karbassi