### Baja California: Third-Highest in Revenue from “Chocolate” Cars but Fourth in Road Paving
Baja California ranks third nationally in revenue generated from the regularization of foreign vehicles, commonly known as “chocolate” cars, yet it lags in road paving efforts, securing only the fourth position despite higher earnings compared to other states. Jesús Alejandro Ruiz Uribe, the federal delegate in Baja California, raised concerns about the utilization of funds designated for paving projects by local municipalities.
The decree allowing the regularization of these foreign vehicles was published on January 19, 2022, in the Official Gazette of the Federation (DOF). The funds generated from this decree are intended for state-level road paving programs.
As of July 23, Baja California had collected 952,380,000 pesos through the regularization of 380,952 vehicles, positioning it in third place behind Chihuahua and Tamaulipas. Nonetheless, it has only managed to pave 469,507 square meters, ranking it fourth behind Chihuahua, Zacatecas, and Tamaulipas.
Notably, Zacatecas raised 490,580,000 pesos—nearly half of Baja California’s total—yet managed to pave 576,817 square meters. This disparity prompted Ruiz Uribe to question the effective use of the funds by the municipalities in Baja California.
“We need to hold the municipalities accountable in Baja California,” Ruiz urged.
Regarding the auditing of how these resources are utilized, Ruiz Uribe stated that the responsibility now lies with the Superior Audit Office of the Federation. “We receive the funds, hand them over to the municipalities, train them on permissible expenditures, and the auditing is conducted by the Superior Audit Office of the Federation,” he explained.
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### Additional Information: Impact and Developments Surrounding “Chocolate” Cars
The regularization of “chocolate” cars has been a significant development in states along the U.S.-Mexico border, where many vehicles are imported informally. These measures aim to provide legal status to the vehicles and ensure that they contribute to local economies through taxes. According to recent reports, the practice was first made legal to address the need for affordable transportation in these regions, but questions remain regarding the actual on-ground utilization of the funds.
Additional research indicates an ongoing debate about the efficiency and transparency in the use of these funds. Community stakeholders have highlighted the need for more stringent auditing measures to ensure the resources are effectively used for their intended purposes, such as road improvement projects.
Efforts are also being made at both state and federal levels to improve the processes surrounding the importation and regularization of foreign vehicles, focusing on reducing bureaucratic hurdles and enhancing revenue collection mechanisms to fund infrastructural projects accurately.
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