Accomplishments
Economy: Mexico
Under
the Davis Administration, a strong partnership has emerged between
California and Mexico; a partnership committed to sharing not just a
continent, but a common destiny. In all, the Governor has met with
Mexican Presidents eight times.
• Within his first 30 days as
Governor, Gray Davis extended the hand of friendship, la mano de
amistad, to Mexico by meeting with then-President Ernesto Zedillo.
Governor Davis was the first California Governor to visit the Republic
of Mexico in six years.
• On May 18, 1999, President Zedillo
made a return trip, becoming the first Mexican President to address a
joint session of the California Legislature.
• In November 2000,
Mexican President-elect Vicente Fox meet with Governor Davis in Los
Angeles at the annual MALDEF reunion, and Governor Davis later
participated in Fox's historic inauguration.
• President Fox accepted the Governor's invitation to meet with him twice a year, every year.
• Signed an agreement with President Fox to establish the foreign academic and trade center in Mexico.
Sister State
Signed
a Memorandum of Understanding with Baja California establishing Sister
State cooperation between the two states, the first Sister State
relationship established between California and a Mexican State.
The Memorandum of Understanding is intended to expand effective cooperation in the following fields:
• Economic Development, Trade and Tourism;
• Environmental and Coastal Quality;
• Ports of Border Entry Infrastructure;
• Education, Technologic, and Scientific Exchange;
• Cultural and Sports Exchange; and
• Public Safety and Health.
• Trade With Mexico
Under
Governor Davis' leadership, Mexico has become the State's leading
export market for the first time in history. California's trade with
Mexico surpasses all of Mexico's trade with Latin America, Europe and
Asia combined. Over 17 percent of California's exports are purchased by
Mexico. In 2002, California exports to Mexico were valued at $16.1
billion and Mexico's exports to California were valued at $18.3
billion. Trade with Mexico supports more than 177,000 jobs in the
Golden State.
Border Wastewater
Developed with the State
of Baja California the $20 million San Antonio de los Buenos Wastewater
Treatment Plan to protect the Tijuana River estuary and San Diego
beaches from wastewater pollution. The project affects over 2 million
people and will redirect nearly eight million gallons of raw sewage
into the treatment plant daily.
Cross-border Health Care
Approved
a new health plan that, for the first time ever, allows individuals
with health benefits provided by a U.S. employer to obtain medical
services in Tijuana, Mexico. The agreement was designed to give
close-to-home health care access to the 40,000 to 50,000 people who
legally cross the border each day to work in California.
Border Disease Control
Signed
legislation to create the Office of Binational Border Health that works
to halt diseases around the California-Mexico border. This office works
on both sides of the border to produce solutions to health problems
around the region, and focuses on health risks associated with
untreated sewage, air pollution, toxic exposures, communicable diseases
and illnesses due to the importation of unapproved food.
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Accomplishments
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