**Primary Article**
**2022 Financial Audit of Former Mayor Ayala Robles’ Administration Fails Approval**
The 2022 financial report for the administration led by former mayor Armando Ayala Robles in Ensenada has been rejected by the State Congress’s Public Spending Oversight Commission. The audit covered the period from January 1 to December 31, 2022. The current Treasurer, Vicente Maldonado del Toro, who also served in the previous administration, participated via video call to address some inquiries from committee members.
The audit highlights significant discrepancies, including the government reporting total revenues of 2,428 million pesos against expenditures of 2,349 million pesos, resulting in a surplus of 68.9 million pesos. Despite this apparent surplus, several financial irregularities have been uncovered, prompting administrative sanctions.
Key concerns include several unauthorized expenses and missing documentation:
– Contracts amounting to 23.6 million pesos were awarded to vendors not listed in the municipal supplier directory.
– Payments exceeding 7 million pesos were made to contractors who did not provide conflict of interest declarations.
– Contracts worth approximately 455,952 pesos exceeded allowable budgets, and others nearly 750,000 pesos lacked substantiation.
– Payments of 21.8 million pesos to a company for asphalt materials that were not delivered.
– Acknowledgment of 2,121 untracked municipal assets valued at 65.4 million pesos.
Additional issues identified include:
– Unjustified tax assessments amounting to nearly 2.6 million pesos for property transactions.
– Contract violations concerning the towing and storage of vehicles.
– Failure to implement financial management systems necessary for fiscal harmonization.
– Employee severance payments totaling 5.6 million pesos lacked appropriate documentation.
– End-of-year bonuses exceeding 143 million pesos were improperly recorded, and related income taxes were not deducted as required.
This rejection of the financial accounts stems from both fiscal discrepancies and a general failure to provide necessary financial justifications and documentation.
**Secondary Article**
**Audit Irregularities in Ensenada Reflect Broader Trend**
The recent findings in Ensenada aren’t isolated. Across the nation, municipal audits are revealing troubling trends in public fund management. Similar audits have found issues in other regions, spotlighting inadequate financial controls and oversight failures as chronic challenges for local governments.
For instance, a recent audit in another state exposed a pattern of awarding contracts without competitive bidding, which led to inflated costs on public projects. Additionally, there is an ongoing national discussion about the need for tighter audit regulations and enhanced training for municipal financial officers to prevent such issues.
As calls for accountability grow, several municipalities have started implementing reforms. These include setting up independent audit boards and leveraging technology to ensure transparency and accuracy. The situation in Ensenada serves as a crucial example of why continued vigilance and reform in public financial management are imperative.