Tijuana Mayor Cuts Workforce

**Tijuana’s Mayor’s Office restructures, reducing workforce to enhance efficiency and maintain essential services. Challenges persist in public services, prompting reforms and community initiatives for improvement.**

**Primary Article: Reduction of Municipal Workforce in Tijuana’s Official Mayor’s Office**

In an effort to streamline operations, approximately 40 non-union, trusted employees within the Mayor’s Office in Tijuana are facing job cuts. José Luis Villasana, the head of the municipal department, announced that the office is implementing a reduction strategy aimed at optimizing the city’s administrative functions by reducing the number of trusted employees by 10% to 15%. This decision is part of a broader plan to enhance efficiency while maintaining essential public services.

Villasana explained that some positions within the office overlap, prompting the need for adjustments. An external audit and review company is conducting an analysis to determine the critical personnel necessary for the department’s functions. Each municipal department is undergoing a similar process to evaluate staff needs and effectiveness, deciding which employees will continue or be relieved of their duties.

President Ismael Burgueño Ruiz’s directives emphasize resource savings and seeking personnel efficiency without compromising the quality of public services provided to the community. The primary goal remains to ensure uninterrupted and transparent citizen services.

**Secondary Article: Challenges in Tijuana’s Public Services and Infrastructure**

Tijuana is currently grappling with several challenges related to public services and infrastructure. One pressing issue is the delayed completion of the city’s boardwalk renovations, with no guarantee of finishing before the upcoming Tourism Fair. Local migrant advocacy groups have voiced their concerns, urging the new mayor to revive support programs catering to the migrant community.

Furthermore, discussions are underway to reform the medical pass system, as discrepancies and overcharges have been identified. This move aligns with efforts to sustain the recovering medical tourism industry in Tijuana, which recently experienced a significant downturn. These reforms, coupled with the ongoing need to inform tourists on necessary payments upon entering Mexico, aim to enhance the overall visitor experience and ensure operational transparency across the board.

In the education sector, some primary schools face disruptions due to teacher shortages, affecting over 200 students. Parents have resorted to blocking school access to highlight the urgent need for more educators. Meanwhile, local human rights representatives are actively engaging with municipal governments to address reparations for past grievances.

Lastly, community organizations have called for the construction of a memorial wall to publicly display pictures of missing persons, suggesting prominent locations such as Boulevard Insurgentes or Zone Río. This initiative seeks to raise awareness and demand action for those who remain unaccounted for in the region.