Mayors Hope Conference Will Improve Links With Mexico

In an effort to improve political and business ties across the border, California and Mexican mayors will hold a summit conference in Orange County later this year.

Santa Ana Mayor Miguel A. Pulido Jr. and Irvine Mayor Christina L. Shea began organizing the meeting, called “Hands Across the Border,” after returning from a successful trip to Guadalajara in April with three other Southern California mayors.

They expect to draw mayors, business leaders and financiers from both countries to the meeting, scheduled for Nov. 14-17. Pulido’s staff mailed out invitations to nearly 60 mayors last week.

“California cities and Mexico are all interrelated,” Pulido said. “Mexico has an economy that is immediately on our border and is growing very quickly.”

Beyond strengthening political ties, the sessions will help business, Pulido said.

“It’s not just the mayors who are coming. It’s the business delegations that they will bring,” he said. “When the mayor of Guadalajara sits down with the mayor of San Jose, there will be a lot of business resulting. It will accelerate trade between Mexico and California, and that’s very significant.”

Organizers hope the summit will encourage trade and integrate the two economies, said June Durr, marketing and public affairs director for Mayor Judith Valles of San Bernardino, who also attended the April conference.

“The contacts she made there have proven to be beneficial for the city,” Durr said. “It strengthened relations with cities that are our neighbors. Beyond cultural and educational exchanges, are business opportunities and opportunities to exchange various technology.”

For example, Durr said, the San Bernardino police chief has traded training information with Mexican police forces. Mexico has consulted with the San Bernardino Water Department about its award-winning water treatment plant.

“Trade and commerce have been a vital link,” Durr said. “There’s a willingness now on both sides to share information and do business that is exciting.”

Shea envisions some of Irvine’s high-tech firms setting up manufacturing plants in Jalisco, for example. She and the governor of that state have met on that subject. “What I’m trying to do is open the door and show that I’m open to a relationship,” Shea said.

The spirit of cooperation between Mexico and California was strained, officials say, with passage of Proposition 187, an attempt to deny public schooling and government services to illegal immigrants. California was perceived as anti-immigrant and Mexican leaders were unwilling to do business with the state.

“I’m not trying to diminish the concerns we have . . . over immigration,” Shea said. “But, putting those issues aside, the advantage of creating a strong business relationship is to the betterment of all of us. And the stronger the economy in Mexico is, the fewer immigration problems we are likely to have here.”

Conference participants will stay at the Hyatt Regency Irvine, but sessions and events will be held in Irvine, Santa Ana, Long Beach and Anaheim. Cities will pay travel expenses.