The Puerto Vallarta Municipal Council last week approved the terms of a 181 million-peso loan (US $9 million) for infrastructure improvements, while also voting to refinance three long-term loans that amount to 312 million pesos (US $15.6 million).
The new loan — sponsored by Alderman Víctor Manuel Bernal — was approved on a 12-0 vote with four abstentions. Bernal identified 21 priority infrastructure projects and said the bulk of the loan will go toward improving and repairing roads in the popular Pacific coast resort in the state of Jalisco.
Among the roads to be repaved are Avenida México (a main north-south avenue), Avenida Federacíon (a major north-south road further inland) and the access road along Highway 544.
Additionally, bicycle lanes on all the principal roads will be repaired, the iconic waterfront promenade will be refurbished, two linear parks will be built, the Lázaro Cárdenas Park in the city’s Zona Romántica will be remodeled and the Cuale Island park will be rescued. Also, underground cable will be installed in the Colonia Emiliano Zapata which is adjacent to the Zona Romántica.
As for refinancing the three previous loans — contracted between 2017 and 2020 — Bernal said the idea is to unify them into one amortized loan which would lower the interest payments.
If the new loan is authorized by the Jalisco state Congress (as required by law), Puerto Vallarta will have an overall debt of nearly 494 million pesos (US $24.7 million).
The Municipal Council also adopted an Ethics Code for all public officials and created a Diversity Council in formal recognition of the contributions of the LGBTIQ+ community and to promote gender equality. Bernal claimed in a Facebook post that these actions will make Puerto Vallarta “a more just and equitable city.”
The council also tabled a proposal to set aside 100,000 pesos (US $5,000) to establish a gun-buyback program.
With reports from Quadratín and the Puerto Vallarta Municipal Government
