In Rosarito, they’re running out of ideas to keep squeezing money out of people. First it was the property tax hike, and now comes the “dog tax”: a package of fines, fees, and possible arrests that the government of Rocío Adame and councilwoman Joanna Garay are trying to pass off as an order, when for many it smells more like a revenue-generating scheme than a genuine animal welfare policy.
The proposal includes sanctions ranging from hundreds of pesos to penalties that could reach $35,000 pesos, in addition to arrests of 12 to 36 hours in certain cases. Fines for barking, for walking them without a leash, for having them in the car, for keeping them on rooftops, for not picking up feces, and even for other alleged offenses related to bites or lack of control. And if that weren’t enough, they also want to charge around $350 pesos for an animal identification card. In other words, in a municipality riddled with deficiencies, substandard services, and urgent problems, the City Council decided that its priority isn’t fixing Rosarito… but charging for everything, even your dog. No one disputes the need for responsible pet ownership. What’s outrageous is that this administration seems incapable of considering serious awareness campaigns, sterilization programs, accessible veterinary care, or decent spaces for animals before resorting to its revenue-collecting tactics. What we see here isn’t a comprehensive public policy; we see another assault on citizens’ wallets, disguised as a regulation. Because when a government doesn’t know how to solve problems, it does the only thing it knows how to do: threaten, fine, and collect. And in Rosarito, it’s become clear that they’ve shamelessly jumped from exorbitant property tax hikes to exorbitant dog tax hikes.
Source: elsolderosaritonews
