July 22, 2021
The City of Chula Vista will hold a series of redistricting workshops to allow the public to submit questions, suggestions, and relevant information for consideration. Redistricting occurs every decade following the release of census data to redraw boundaries for the four City Council districts.
Take a look here for additional information on the upcoming workshops and other opportunities to get involved.
July 22, 2021
Following our binational region’s leadership, Texas donated 50,000 doses of the J&J vaccine to their Mexican neighbors. The cross-border vaccination program will first cover manufacturing workers in Ciudad Juarez. Our local cross-border vaccination program was a success thanks to the leadership of the Mexican Consulate, San Diego County, and UCSD Health. Over 26,000 workers of US-owned assembly plants in Tijuana received the vaccine at a facility within the San Ysidro Land Port of Entry.
In addition, the distribution of 1.35 million doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine previously donated by the U.S. to Mexico came to an end having immunized individuals aged 18 – 39 in border communities. The Mexican federal government reported that 16 vaccination centers with 306 substations were installed across Baja. Foreign Affairs Minister Marcelo Ebrard assured that vaccination rates in Tijuana are now comparable to San Diego and urged the U.S. federal government to lift travel restrictions impacting land ports of entry at least taking into consideration immunized regions.
July 22, 2021
The City of San Diego’s Development Services Department continues to make online improvements as part of their #DigitalDSD initiative to modernize DSD workplace systems, increase construction productivity, and improve the customer experience. Included in these improvements are a small business and restaurant assistance program and online permitting for building, grading, and engineering. The Chamber is encouraged to hear of the progress that DSD is making and will continue to be a part of collaborative stakeholder discussions that evaluate the effectiveness of DSD services and programs.
July 22, 2021
Vice President Kamala Harris visited the U.S.-Mexico border last month joined by Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. The trip to El Paso came a few weeks after their visit to Mexico City and the announcement of a shared agenda to foster U.S.-Mexico cooperation. An agreement was also made on economic development and trade-related issues, with both governments participating in a High-Level Economic Dialogue in September to address economic priorities such as strengthening and modernizing cross-border management.
President Lopez Obrador also visited the border region. The trip started in the city of Mexicali where a review of the fiscal stimuli for the Northern Border took place with input from the business community. He then traveled to Tecate to officially inaugurate the National Guard local facilities, which was followed by a visit to a militarized high school in Tijuana. This was President Lopez Obrador’s third visit to Baja.
July 22, 2021
Temporary restrictions on non-essential travel across shared ports of entry between Canada, the U.S., and Mexico were extended for an additional thirty days to August 21. With northbound waits of up to six hours at the San Ysidro Land Port of Entry during the past months, border restrictions and delays continue to impact businesses across our region. Mayors Todd Gloria (San Diego), Alejandra Sotelo-Solis (National City), Serge Dedina (Imperial Beach), and San Diego County Supervisor Nora Vargas joined at the San Ysidro Port of Entry to urge the administration to lift travel restrictions impacting land ports of entry. The Chamber also shared an overview of the negative economic impact these restrictions have had on our business community and cross-border workforce.
President Lopez Obrador shared that he is working with the U.S. federal government to lift restrictions following the distribution of 1.2 million doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine amongst individuals aged 18 – 39 across Baja. Since restrictions were not lifted this month, Secretary of Foreign Affairs Marcelo Ebrard stated that he will submit a proposal to the Biden administration to gradually lift restrictions based on regional vaccination rate. He added that the city of Tijuana’s vaccination rate is now comparable with San Diego.
July 22, 2021
In the last few years, we’ve seen significant progress on several of our region’s key priorities like USMCA, the new North American free-trade agreement, solutions to address pollution issues in Tijuana River Valley, and completion of landmark border infrastructure projects. Reaching these milestones is a testament to the power of our region’s longstanding commitment to binational collaboration.
We need all the voices that make up our diverse and dynamic cross-border business community to make a strong, lasting impact. That message is most effective when we have a large, diverse representation of business and community leaders joining us.
Registration is now open for this year’s Mexico City Summit, which provides an opportunity for participants to meet with key federal officials and diverse business industry leaders to discuss the major areas of focus: border infrastructure, transboundary pollution impacting the Tijuana River, and trade & economic opportunities.
Attendees will also benefit from the opportunity to network during a special in-person reception on August 31 and cultivate strong political and business relationships.
July 22, 2021
Mayor Gloria convened a press conference on July 19 to outline a robust policy package aimed at boosting housing supply for low- and middle-income families across the City. Housing For All of Us, a package of proposals that will reform community plan updates, create incentives for employer-supported housing, and streamline the process of building for developments that meet certain criteria, comes as San Diego home prices continue to hit record highs. The Chamber was present at the press conference, at member-developed Secoya on Fifth, to demonstrate support in moving the package forward as details are confirmed with stakeholders and Planning Department staff.
July 22, 2021
California and Mexico signed a Memorandum of Understanding reiterating their commitment to ensure the new Otay Mesa East Port of Entry (Otay 2) is up and running by 2024. This project will contribute to significant economic growth for our region and stimulate cross-border trade by providing secure, reliable, and predictable crossings with a goal of wait times no longer than 20 minutes. The Chamber has long supported the construction of this new port of entry and has led efforts to advance the project on both sides of the border. These efforts include our upcoming Mexico City Summit taking place August 31-September 1 and our Binational Delegation Trip to Washington D.C. taking place September 26 – 29.
Earlier this month, U.S. Senators traveled to Mexico City to meet with the Secretariat of Foreign Affairs and the National Institute of Migration to discuss bilateral cooperation on migration. In addition, border infrastructure projects including Otay 2 were also discussed and officials agreed on the project representing a high-priority for both governments in order to increase efficiency, security, and global competition along the U.S.-Mexico border region.
July 22, 2021
As COVID-19 case counts rise due to the spread of the delta variant, some local government officials have announced that they will reinstitute mask requirements indoors for all people regardless of vaccination status. Los Angeles County–the largest jurisdiction to mandate— made the move late last week. Other California cities like Fresno and Sacramento are “encouraging” individuals to return to regular mask wearing. On Monday, the Governor did not indicate whether he would be directing state health officials to reconsider masks, but he did specify that there would not be a return to required social distancing, an issue that is top of mind as school reopening looms.
July 13, 2021
