Secretary turns in State of the State report

Secretary of Government Francisco Rueda turned in Thursday the governor’s sixth and last State of the State report to the Assembly.

The document was delivered in hand by the state official to Assembly Speaker Catalino Zavala, of the majority National Regeneration Movement Party.

State law was modified over a decade ago to allow governors turn in their yearly report instead of delivering a speech before the Legislature after protests almost refrained executives from appearing in the Assembly.

Also, delivering a report instead of a speech helps governors avoid direct criticism from opposition party members.

The event also marks the unofficial start of the Assembly, whose members took the oath of office a day before.

Lawmakers also elected a Speaker and some of the most important commissions.

In a prepared statement, Gov. Francisco Vega highlighted that the state is the only one in the republic that provides free K-12 education while benefiting thousands of minors with child-care services.

He also underlined major achievements in terms of tourism, sports, agriculture, infrastructure, water and public safety.

“We made the best of our efforts to respond to Baja Californians, even with the financial difficulties regarding extraordinary funds from the federal government and the lacking equality (from the Mexican administration) regarding education funds,” Vega said in the statement.

In terms of economic development, Vega said the state was able to create 288,335 new jobs in his sixyear term.

At the same time, the number of full-time schools doubled to 515 statewide.

In terms of infrastructure, Vega pointed to the rehabilitation of several avenues and boulevards in Mexicali, as well as the construction of a new anonymous reporting center and an Attorney General’s office building in eastern Mexicali.

At the end of his statement, Vega said his administration set the foundations of the controversial sea water desalination plants in Rosarito Beach and San Quintín.

Crime has been for years the highest concern for residents. Regarding this topic, Vega only reported that kidnappings fell by 91 percent since 2013.