A group of taxi cab drivers met Tuesday with Mexicali Mayor Jaime Díaz in order to make public their proposal to increase taxi ride fees in the city.
The group was led by Mexicali Chauffeurs League Secretary General Ricardo Aguilera.
Cab drivers told Mayor Díaz, whose term ends on Nov. 30, the introduction of a proposal last week to increase the fee.
The measure must be addressed by members of the Municipal Transit Council and based on the conditions that impact service.
Mayor Díaz said in a press release users deserve a quality service and told cab drivers to provide service accordingly.
Cab drivers also asked for the improvement of certain taxi routes and to address the logistics of others.
In the mean time, Public Transit Municipal System director Alfredo Arenas said the city has applied 230 fines to bus drivers mainly for lack of air conditioning.
The fines were applied since May 1, he said.
Arenas said air conditioning is a must in public transit buses given the high temperatures recorded on summer.
Users can file claims through the 072 hotline and on the system’s social media pages.
Justices eliminate retirement benefits
Members of the Judiciary Council of Baja California voted down a proposal that would have provided retirement benefits for judges and justices that brought controversy all over the state.
Chief Justice Jorge Armando Vásquez said the vote was 6-1 to turn down the measure that would have given justices and judges 100 percent of their salaries for two years and 80 percent afterward.
The benefits could also have been inherited to children and widows.
The proposal was approved by Judiciary Council members in February, but never came to fruition.
A group of lawyers introduced a petition to recall or impeach justices for the approval.
The petition was approved recently by members of a legislative commission.
Chief Justice Vásquez said in a press release that council members made the decision based on the state’s finance situation and to privilege the interests of residents.
The goal of the proposal, he added, was to provide judges and justices retirement benefits they are not allowed to by law as of today.
Vásquez said council members will address the issue with a new proposal in upcoming sessions.
Armed robbery reported
A bank customer was robbed by unknown assailants Tuesday and the victim ended crashing his vehicle against a residence, according to media reports.
Authorities told reporters that local and state police officers arrived at Fraccionamiento Villafontana subdivision in western Mexicali in response to a report made at the emergency center.
Media outlets informed the victim was threatened by the suspects after exiting a bank branch.
The suspects demanded money from the victim, according to the sources.
The victim attempted to flee on a black Jeep Cherokee and the suspects presumably shot him several times.
The victim crashed on a residence located at 1065 Inglaterra Avenue and was eventually transported to a private hospital.
The suspects took 100,000 pesos or $5,555 from the victim.
