The head of Baja California’s Business Coordinating Council (CCE) on Friday called on state lawmakers to slash 150 million pesos (about $7.5 million USD) from the legislature’s own budget and redirect the money to police and prosecutors. Octavio Sandoval López said the funds should go toward body armor, weapons, armored vehicles, and equipment for officers on the front lines of the state’s security crisis.
Sandoval López broke down his proposal into two specific cuts. He wants 90 million pesos (roughly $4.5 million USD) stripped from what the legislature designates as “social spending” and another 60 million pesos (about $3 million USD) removed from a line item for “work meetings.” Both amounts, he argued, would be far better spent by the Attorney General’s Office (FGE) and the State Security Secretariat (SSCBC).
Low Police Salaries Fuel the Security Problem
The business leader also drew attention to police salaries across Baja California. State officers earn between 18,000 and 24,000 pesos per month (roughly $900 to $1,200 USD), wages he described as insufficient for workers who face mortal danger daily. Those low salaries are widely seen as a factor that makes officers vulnerable to corruption and turnover, compounding the state’s security challenges.
His remarks follow a period of escalating violence in Baja California. Recent weeks have seen a wave of arrests connected to the killing of state police agents, putting a spotlight on how poorly resourced law enforcement agencies remain. The proposal also echoes criticism from President Claudia Sheinbaum, who previously called Baja California’s Congress the most expensive state legislature in the country.
Private Sector Pressure on State Government Grows
The Baja California Congress, a 25-member unicameral body based in Mexicali, is dominated by the ruling Morena party, which holds 15 seats. Individual legislators earn monthly salaries of approximately 62,226 pesos (around $3,100 USD), according to publicly available data. The CCE’s public demand for budget cuts puts direct pressure on those lawmakers to justify their spending at a time when police officers earn a fraction of a legislator’s pay.
Sandoval López’s call is the latest sign that Baja California’s private sector is losing patience with what business leaders view as misplaced priorities in state government. Whether the legislature acts on the proposal remains to be seen.
This story was first reported by Punto Norte.