Ensenada’s
New Mayor Takes Office
text,
translations & photos by connie ellig & david hopps
 “Harmony”
and “dialogue with the community” are the pledges that César
Mancillas Amador made as he took office as the new mayor of
Ensenada County. On the evening of November 30, 2004, in front of an overflowing
crowd at the Gimnasio Universitario de la Unidad Valle Dorado, Mancillas
stressed that his main objective as the new presidente municipal
was to work for the common good of Ensenada. Among the many dignitaries
present were Baja California Governor Eugenio Elorduy, President of Congress
Guillermo Aldrete, outgoing Ensenada Mayor Jorge Catalán, former
Baja California Governor Ernesto Ruffo, and representatives from the Mayor’s
Office of Ensenada’s Sister City of Riverside, California.
In his thirty-minute speech, César Mancillas stated that during
his three-year term (2004-2007), he would implement programs in five lines
of action. The first commitment would be to improve administrative efficiency
in which administrative expenses would be reduced to a minimum and effectiveness
would be maximized. His declaration that neither he nor his cabinet will
increase their salaries during the next three years received the most thunderous
applause of the evening.
Mancillas, a member of the National Action Party (PAN) who has previously
held several high-profile government positions, also promised economic
development and promotion that will attract investment, which in turn will
provide more and better employment opportunities for Ensenadenses.
He added that among his goals in the social and human development area
is the improvement of water and sewage services in the rural zones of the
county. “We must find solutions to the problem of garbage collection that
is presently a concern of Ensenadenses,” he stated, which generated another
favorable response from the several thousand attendees.
A resident of Ensenada since birth, the 46-year-old Mancillas included
public security and the battle against drug addiction in his five lines
of action. “I guarantee to all Ensenadenses that we will continue living
in a city in which our loved ones can develop freely and our assets are
clearly secure. We will apply a firm hand to combat delinquency and equally
as firm, we will combat and reject corruption,” he avowed.
Mancillas stated that government and society cannot be distanced under
any circumstances, and his last promise was the promotion of citizen participation.
 “We
must be inclusive and tolerant. We should strive for the common good before
any personal or political interest. For this reason I have proposed to
the members of our administration that during our sessions they ‘remove
their partisan t-shirts’ and abstain from divisive political rhetoric.”
Mayor César Mancillas’ final words drew a standing ovation as
he declared, “I invite you to unceasingly continue on the road of change
and progress, together and in harmony.”
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