Miguel Aguirre, March 12, 2021, Public Comment, SANDAG Board of Directors
PART I-9am
Good morning. Miguel Aguirre representing Grand Central West, McDonald’s Trolley Station in San Ysidro and also the Border Fusion Group.
The Border Fusion Group has sponsored important high-level studies with the North American Research Partnership and the Urban Land Institute, focused on the urban fabric straddling Port of Entry Communities, namely San Ysidro-Tijuana.
We currently support the World Design Capital, 2024 Competitive Bid. We believe San Diego-Tijuana is poised to win and host this prestigious year-long showcase award. No U.S. City has ever won and no Binational Region has ever even applied.
I have structured public comment in two parts and hope to have the opportunity to speak again between items #8 “Discussion Presentation” and “Funding Strategies.”
Last night I very much enjoyed SANDAG’s Central Hub Conference and discussion elements focused on its urban and corridor areas of influence. As a 62-year native San Diegan growing up in La Jolla, Pacific Beach, Linda Vista, and a local grad of Kearny High, Mesa Jr. College and Point Loma Colleges, I am very familiar with this prime core of San Diego. I love the vision of the Grand Central Hub Concept.
As a first generation Mexican American, I have also not lost my passion for our binational region and the cultural ties we have with Mexico, on the contrary. Perhaps this is why I am concerned, that as a region we may be failing to leverage unique funding opportunities related to development of cross-border human capital and fiercely competitive global trade economics.
The evolution and ecology of our binational region is inextricably linked. I realize it is very difficult to conduct planning and group discussions that embrace this broader context, yet the cross-border evidence permeates our daily lives in every way. We are not any other U.S. City removed hundreds or thousands of miles away from Mexico. We are sister cities: San Diego CALIFORNIA and Tijuana, Baja California, home of the world’s busiest Border Crossing(s). We should honor our rich history.
I look forward to completing my public comment in item 8. Thank you.
PART II – March 12, 2021, 12pm Public Comment
Hello again, Miguel Aguirre, Grand Central West, Border Fusion Group. Collectively, we should be trying to ground high-level economics and strategic narratives which can help illuminate the long-term stealth of our region. SANDAG’s BOLD TRANSPORTATION PLANNING is critical for all its population…which is binational in nature, and therefore presents opportunities for thinking way outside the box versus progressive taxing and fine increases to locals, alone.
A BOLD BORDER POLICY contributes to meeting the Federally Mandated Finance Strategy.
THE U.S. absolutely needs Mexico in order to compete with China globally. Border-wide, our countries enjoy approximately one million people crossings daily. Our region should be competing along with Texas Mega Regions: El Paso-Juarez, Laredo and Nuevo Laredo and Brownsville-Matamoros in becoming a more competitive North American Trade Bloc. SANDAG can lead locally by systematically linking and/or federally leveraging, for example through trade or tariffs, a funding strategy for development of cross-border regional mobility models that will unleash the true SOCIO-ECONOMIC potential of our Cali Baja Mega Region. This will help advance U.S. Trade leadership in the world. Indeed, San Diego-Tijuana has the potential and our leaders have a responsibility to develop an incredible North American, Pacific Rim Showcase in a value-added socio-economic platform.
As SANDAG finalizes its RTP, the border is being considered like never before, yet, still largely as a “pass-thru” or “get across” process, serving economies away from the border…and, mostly outside or region. Think about it…manufacturing for big trucks, rail and shipping headed somewhere else. Even CBX, in essence, is a two-way portal beyond our region.
By default, due to costly border-wait times, SAN YSIDRO-TIJUANA CROSS-BORDER DISTRICTS must become more effective vs pass-thru efficient. In other words, if Otay Mesa is macro-economic, San Ysidro-Tijuana should be Micro-Economic… and public infrastructure, more people-centered for wielding an International, Strategic Sense of Place. SUCH URBAN BRANDING will attract global best practices investment, creative industries and a value-added innovation culture. It does not have to be a zero-sum game. By strategically formulating the binational relationship where inherently it is strongest and most authentic, our Mega-Region can become galvanized, more productive, and economically secured in facing outside threats.
We look further to SANDAG’s leadership and in moving forward with our regional leaders in this regard. Thank you.
MIGUEL AGUIRRE, MTS PUBLIC COMMENT, MARCH 11, 2021
Good morning. Miguel Aguirre representing Grand Central West, McDonald’s Trolley Station and the Border Fusion Group, as well as Bfusion.org, provided public comments at a San Diego Metropolitan Transit System meeting on March 11th. Here are his public comments:
I want to drill down on my last public comment regarding development of a BOLD BORDER POLICY that anchors South County.
As SANDAG finalizes its RTP, the border is being considered like never before, yet, still largely as a “pass-thru” or “get across” process, serving economies away from the border…and, mostly outside or region. Think about it…manufacturing for big trucks, rail and shipping headed somewhere else. Even CBX, in essence, is a two-way portal beyond our region.
Of course, this convention is a great collaborative platform for binational regions and the U.S.-Mexico relationship more broadly. HOWEVER, what about economic development of generations of “Trans-Fronterizos,” our border-crossers, which could truly help catalyze binational mega regions?
The current automotive paradigm in San Ysidro is simply un-sustainable…we can’t keep expanding the world’s busiest border-crossing(s) for more cars, worsening air quality and added congestion on freeways. For too long, this one-way mobility dynamic has not been an equitable proposition for border communities whose lands are increasingly displaced of economic opportunity, by concrete sprawl.
Planned high speed rail and more efficient transit lines with Sorrento Mesa and other workplace centers away from the Border and South County should also bring quality of life opportunities closer to where the people live.
By default, SAN YSIDRO-TIJUANA CROSS-BORDER DISTRICTS must become more effective vs pass-thru efficient. In other words, if Otay Mesa is macro-economic, San Ysidro-Tijuana should be Micro-Economic… and public infrastructure, more people-centered for wielding an International, Strategic Sense of Place. SUCH URBAN BRANDING will attract global best practices investment, creative industries and a value-added innovation culture. It does not have to be a zero-sum game. By developing the binational relationship where inherently it is strongest and most authentic, our Mega-Region will become galvanized, more productive, and economically secured in facing outside threats.
We look forward to developing these border narratives and economic strategies with MTS and our regional leaders. Thank you.
