**Tijuana’s Financial Transparency Issues: Mayor Burgueño Justifies Budget Expansion**
Tijuana’s Mayor, Ismael Burgueño Ruiz, has highlighted significant issues with financial transparency following the installation of a new treasury system by the previous administration, led by Montserrat Caballero Ramírez. This system, costing 90 million pesos, has been criticized for its inability to clearly present the available municipal resources.
The shortcomings of this system were a central reason behind the recent budget adjustments approved by the city council on October 14th. Mayor Burgueño, representing the Morena party, explained the necessity of these adjustments, citing insufficient funds left by the previous administration to meet current municipal needs.
In an extraordinary council session, Regidor Heriberto Lemuel Ramírez, head of the Commission of Treasury and Municipal Resources, proposed several budget modifications. These included a budget increase of over 162 million pesos, a reduction of nearly 179 million pesos, along with various transfers and automatic adjustments. These changes were swiftly approved by all attending council members.
Regidora Magaly Ronquillo from Morena noted the significant impact these budget changes would bring, aiming to ensure municipal operations and obligations, such as salaries and services, are adequately funded. Furthermore, the additional funding is expected to bolster the capabilities of the Secretariat of Security and Citizen Protection through improved equipment and training.
The PAN party’s Regidora Sandra Magaña Ríos emphasized that their support for these changes was not unconditional, stressing the importance of transparency and accountability to ensure the funds benefit the citizens of Tijuana.
**Further Developments: Allegations of Mismanagement and Calls for Accountability**
In light of the ongoing issues with financial management in Tijuana, there have been growing calls for accountability regarding the mismanagement of municipal funds. Various community leaders and representatives have voiced their concerns about the allocation and use of public resources, urging for more stringent oversight and transparency measures.
This situation highlights the broader challenge of governance in many municipalities where similar issues with financial transparency and accountability persist. As these discussions continue, there is a push for systematic reforms to ensure that public funds are managed efficiently and benefit the communities they are meant to serve.