In her first year State of the City address delivered to City Hall, Mayor Norma Alicia Bustamante Martínez defended her administration’s record, emphasizing a theme of continuity and tangible progress for the city despite facing criticism.
During a council session, the mayor stated that while her current administration is one year old, it represents a continuation of a governance project that began four years ago.
“We have a firm, unbreakable commitment to the people of Mexicali. We have placed those who need us the most at the center of all our actions,” she said.
Key Actions
The address highlighted several major accomplishments over the past year, including the inauguration of two new “Pilares Centers” — Casa Digna and Portales — as part of a national initiative offering residents workshops, vocational training, gastronomy, and educational programs through INEA and other institutions.
Other social programs featured in her address included medical outreach campaigns, a DIF home-visit program that brings doctors and psychologists directly to families, and nutrition programs that provide meals for seniors and schoolchildren.
Security Achievements
Mayor Bustamante commended the Municipal Police, praising officers for their daily commitment and acknowledging efforts to cleanse the force of corruption. She detailed a series of new benefits designed to promote fairness and support police personnel, including:
- 6% salary and benefits increase
- US$16,700 life insurance payment
- US$2,800 for funeral expenses
- Scholarship and school incentive support
- Scholarships for children of deceased officers (primary through university)
- Risk bonus
- US$8,300 gratuity payment for retirees
- Loan access through Fonacot
- Early retirement for officers with physical or psychological impairments
- Housing access through an agreement with Infonavit
“The Mexicali government feels extremely proud of the responsibility that police officers assume regarding security, which is an issue for everyone, but it is also the responsibility of the three levels of government and citizens,” the mayor said.
The mayor also credited private sector collaboration for the acquisition of 270 new patrol cars, body cameras, and drones.
Stable Public Finances
On the city’s financial health, the mayor credited Municipal Treasurer Roger Sosa for resolving multi-million-peso arrears with SAT (Tax Administration Service), Social Security, and Issstecali, and in fulfilling each and every obligation, both fiscal and to City Hall workers, every day. This fiscal discipline, she noted, prompted the rating agency Fitch Ratings to upgrade Mexicali’s financial rating.
Mexicali Heading in the Right Direction
Mayor Norma Bustamante pointed to a recent institutional public apology for historical violence and discrimination, supported by 39 concrete actions, as evidence that the city is transforming. She claimed that this state of the city address is not merely a list of accomplishments, but a guide and the absolute certainty that city heads in the right direction.
“That is our commitment, to continue building in every neighborhood, on every street, a safer, more just, more humane Mexicali. That is our mission,” the mayor concluded.
