Mayor Revokes Zero Tolerance on Public Drinking

by Maureen Dietrich on 17 Jan 14 
mazmessenger.com 

With regard to businesses selling alcohol, they have been instructed by the Mayor to apply tolerance as well by demonstrating confidence in the sector

The instructions from Mayor Carlos Felton González are clear, said Official Mayor Salvador Reynosa Garzón: apply tolerance and eliminate the “Ley del Garrote.”

The municipality will be tolerant with people drinking on the street, he told media, providing they do not break any laws.

Mazatlán has parties on public streets, such as Carnaval, Semana Santa and weekends, Reynosa Garzón explained and they will allow a certain tolerance providing third parties are not bothered.“I do not want to say that is a permission,” he added.

He went on to explain if someone is driving in a dangerous manner for example, laws will be applied. There are limits, and if a person is on a sidewalk drinking beer and having a good time, there will be rules to be followed.

Tolerance will also be extended to street and beach vendors, he announced, although there will be a “clean-up” in this area because permit registrations do not coincide with reality. As well, he mentioned, there are permits that have been authorized due to favoritism. We have to work with the reality and if there are people working (illegally) they have to “normalize” their situation, he pointed out.

With regard to businesses selling alcohol, they have been instructed by the Mayor to apply tolerance as well by demonstrating confidence in the sector, said Reynosa Garzón. In the case that a business selling alcohol does not follow regulations, that business will lose the municipality´s confidence and if necessary, their license will be revoked.

In a separate article today, media reported that the municipal council voted in favour of increasing the amount of money for a project requiring a public bid from one million pesos to 2.5 million pesos. Whereas previously projects over one million pesos were by law sent out for bids, the ceiling has been lifted to 2.5 million pesos.

The reason, said Mayor Felton, is the municipality will no longer have to wait 45 days after the announcement of the winning bid to receive the merchandize, for example a police patrol car, he mentioned.
This modification of Articles 8 and 12 of the Rules of Acquisitions will go into effect once they are published in the State Gazette.

The municipal council also approved the construction of a monument to the creator of Carnaval floats, Rigoberto Lewis, who passed away last week.

(from Noroeste)