Rural Mexicali incorporation project moves forward
Plans to incorporate rural Mexicali as the state’s eighth municipality continue. The plans were paused because of the early June elections and the project’s high cost, Mexicali Valley Economic Development Council President Marco Aurelio Gámez said.
Gámez told La Voz newspaper it is expected to install the new municipality’s council by January and hold its first elections in 2027.
Besides the high cost of staff, the council had very few personnel to work on the project. In the last three years the cost of a survey employee more than tripled, Gámez said.
On a positive note, the council president has realized many nonpartisan people have been interested in the incorporation by providing their legal and environmental insight.
Also, Gámez told the newspaper the council waited to see who was elected in the legislative races to find additional support for the incorporation.
The council president went on to say the incorporation project would be announced in an undated event and eventually promoted among rural Mexicali residents. This would be the second partition of the City of Mexicali after the incorporation of San Felipe.
The project requires a financial feasibility study to ensure the newly incorporated municipality is self-sustainable. Economist Enrique Rovirosa told the newspaper, that instead of the incorporation, the authorities must find out other alternatives to solve the area’s issues. Otherwise, the proposal would only fulfill special interests.
The expert said if the incorporation moves forward, other projects will eventually be launched like incorporating the Gonzalez Ortega or Palaco area in eastern Mexicali.
Rovirosa said incorporation promoters mistakenly think the project will help solve their issues.
According to the economist, those interested in incorporating cities are politicians who will fulfill personal and group ambitions — leaving area problems in second place. Economic groups and even criminals could be behind the incorporation, the expert told the newspaper.
Rovirosa said incorporating the Mexicali Valley would cost more than the price to solve issues.