This is traditionally the time of year when news outlets, facing slow news days (aside from the occasional terrifying mass shooting, of course), throw together trend stories about holiday shopping.
The Los Angeles Times isn’t immune to this trend—though they went the extra 480-some-odd miles for this one, venturing to check out the consumer relationship between Tucson and Mexico, pointing out that Mexican consumers account for roughly 5% of Pima County sales tax revenue and noting that officials are working to bring that number up.
From the L.A. Times:
Faced with political backlash from the state’s tough illegal immigration laws and increasing efforts to secure the U.S.-Mexico border, local officials have tried to mitigate the long border lines and bad perceptions with grass-roots public relations.
They’ve met with Mexican officials, trained local retailers in Mexican culture and even created a half-hour Tucson tourism television show for more than 200,000 cable subscribers living in Mexican border states. Their aim? To banish the perception that Arizona is unwelcoming or hostile toward Mexicans.
“We really need that customer to come here,” said Felipe Garcia, executive vice president of the visitors bureau.
An estimated 24 million Mexicans visited Arizona in 2007 alone, according to the most recent University of Arizona study. Of those, about 2.7 million visited the Tucson region and spent about $976 million in Pima County. Tourism officials think those numbers have continued to rise.
Check out the full story at latimes.com.
This article appears in Dec 20-26, 2012.
Hmm…correct me if I’m wrong, but the “illegal immigrants” coming thru the desert to take jobs, steal resources and elevate our crime stats – arent REALLY here to buy stuff – are they??
Guiseppe is a fool if he thinks that the Mexican middle class wants your shit job. Prices on most types of consumer goods (even at MX walmart) are significantly higher in Mexico than here. Hence the migration of Mexican consumers accross the border. Some even buy homes here to make their trips more convenient. Get your facts straight you racist bastard. Sorry for the swear words but racists like this guy drive me crazy.
Those are the consumers here legally. the illegals in residence that are both illegal to count or verify their Citizenship of also contribute every time the Bambino’s need some Milk, pay rent to many slumlords, etc. The Visitors / Tourists, every Dollar they bring back minimally offsets the money exported from our local economy daily. Illegal Immigrant Booo, Documented Alien Visitor who brings both, their money and documents, Yay.
There was a story about a post office, I believe in Nogales, where Mexicans living in northern Mexico come to pick-up items shipped to them because the Mexican postal system is inefficient, corrupt, or possibly both . . . not really sure as the story didn’t elaborate.
One mall in Tucson used to proudly fly the Mexican flag, ostensibly to attract Mexican tourists. Not anymore, and sadly I have seen less Sonora Mexico plates in Tucson, though this observation is obviously not scientific.
There is crime associated with borders everywhere in the world, simply because the bad guys hop countries to avoid the police. Maybe one day the U.S. could absorb Mexico, maybe starting at the north, to make a large country with hundreds of millions more people. It would be nice to be able to drive to Mexico without the border checkpoint, but I guess there would be a lot of debate over a national language.
Too some people regardless of the benifits of mexican trade and the amount of revenue to the state of Arizona. Racisim as it always does, will somehow find means, and methods, to some how out weigh the good with the bad. Racism, has a countless number of excuses to justify its existence. None of which would accurately difine it’s true ulterior motive.
The amount of Sonora plates on I-19 the last week or so has at least doubled — but this article seems to be of a different stance than this paper usually takes on Mexicans — Does southern Arizona want its cake (the revenue) but not eat it (the immigration — illegal or not) I agree w Dave this is Racism — from an Independent Conservative
The best way to attract more dollars from Mexico is to get rid of Jan Brewer and the racist Republicans
I bet the Governor is rejecting all that tax, not knowing if it is from an illegal or not. She has a hatred for illegals and I am sure she would reject their money.