Comondú Mayor Roberto Pantoja reported that the municipality has boosted its tax and water utility collections by more than 20%, but said the gains still fall short of covering basic operating costs. The southern Baja California Sur municipality, which includes Ciudad Constitución and Ciudad Insurgentes, depends heavily on self-generated income to fund services.
Pantoja disclosed that roughly 65% of property tax bills in the municipality go unpaid. Water utility delinquency stands at about 45%. Outstanding balances exceed 500 million pesos (approximately $25 million USD) in each category, meaning the city is owed more than 1 billion pesos ($50 million USD) in combined unpaid property taxes and water fees.
Debt Collection Campaign Now Active
To address the shortfall, the city government has launched a direct notification campaign targeting delinquent accounts for both property taxes and water service. The outreach effort will contact residents and property owners who carry outstanding balances. Discount programs are also being offered to encourage residents to settle their debts.
Comondú, one of five municipalities in Baja California Sur, covers a large stretch of the Pacific coast and interior desert between La Paz and the Mulegé municipal border. Its economy relies on agriculture, fishing, and ranching. Ciudad Constitución, the municipal seat, sits about 200 kilometers northwest of La Paz along Highway 1.
What Property Owners Should Know
Mexican municipalities generate most of their own revenue through predial (property tax) and water service fees. Federal and state transfers supplement this income, but cities like Comondú with low collection rates face chronic budget pressure. The 20% improvement is notable but leaves the vast majority of accounts still unpaid.
Property owners in the Comondú area, including foreign nationals who hold property through fideicomiso trusts, should expect direct contact from the municipality regarding any outstanding balances. The discount programs may present an opportunity to resolve back taxes at reduced cost, though specific discount amounts and deadlines were not detailed in the mayor’s announcement.
Pantoja’s comments were first reported by BCS Noticias.