To further promote cross-border relations and economic development, Pima County Supervisor Ray Carroll switched jobs this week with Ernesto “Kiko” Munro, the mayor of Puerto Peñasco, Sonora.
While their job exchange may have been symbolic, it was still significant, both men said.
Over two packed days, Carroll and Munro met with business, cultural, education, government and religious leaders, trading ideas and finding chances for cooperation.
“Peñasco has to accept that it is a vertex in a region that includes Phoenix and Tucson,” Munro said in Tucson.
“We are here identifying what are the areas of opportunity, and reiterating that Peñasco is a safe place to visit and a safe place to invest.”
Puerto Peñasco, also known as Rocky Point, is slowly recovering from the Great Recession, which cooled a once-hot real estate market. It also is recovering from a drop in tourism after Mexico saw a spike in drug-related violence.
Earlier this month the U.S. State Department updated its Mexico travel warning. It said Sonora is “a key region in the international drug and human trafficking trades and can be extremely dangerous for travelers.”
A review of 2015 news releases by the Sonoran state police found one instance of a shooting reported in Puerto Peñasco. A 54-year-old man from Sinaloa was shot about a mile from the beach area, on the city’s main road, on Aug. 23. Three assault riffles were found in the shooters’ abandoned vehicle.
Highlighting the area’s safety was one of the main drivers behind Carroll’s desire to visit, he said from Rocky Point, adding that people planning their vacations should not be discouraged from visiting Puerto Peñasco, especially with a strong dollar.
“It’s a great time to come here,” Carroll said. “You know the three B’s in Spanish: bueno, bonito y barato (good, nice and cheap)? Well, we’ve come up with a fourth B, bien seguro — really safe.”
Carroll had nothing but praise for Munro, who came into office last September, and his staff.
“It’s not just early enthusiasm that’s going to wear off. I think they’re really a new breed of people that are pro-business and pro-solutions,” Carroll said. “Kiko has the kind of personality and sophistication to continue getting results, and I plan to help him on our side of the border whenever I can.”
For his part, Munro said he was thankful for the opportunity Carroll gave him, and he was taking advantage of his time in Tucson. His meetings throughout the community had already sparked ideas and connected him with possible partners.
“One of my interests is that Peñasco diversifies its economic activity and not be limited to tourism and commercial fishing — that we can be a provider of products and services that complement what’s already here,” he said.
Areas that Munro is exploring include commercial fish processing, growth and export of asparagus and olives, and renewable energy.
The mayor, who met with Customs and Border Protection officials during his visit, is also pushing for improvements at the Lukeville crossing with the state and federal government in Mexico, to cut down on wait times.
His ultimate goal, Munro said, is for Puerto Peñasco to be recognized as a player in the economic development of the Arizona-Sonora mega-region.
“We want to be considered part of the region not just because we’re a short distance away from a city, but because we truly interact with it in every way,” he said.
