California port eyes federal funds
20 April 2012
US San Diego Mayor Bob Filner has pushed again for federal funding for the proposed Land Port of Entry (LPOE) expansion in Calexico City, before considering a P3.
“I do not believe that outsourcing essential government functions to private companies is in the public’s best interest,” Filner wrote in a letter to Calexico Mayor Maritza Hurtado. “In the long run, privatising would cost taxpayers more money.”Calexico's General Services Administration (GSA) was denied federal funding for the project last year and has since explored a P3 funding route to get the deal procured. Calexico City Council approved a resolution in March that the city would use P3 as an option.
Filner has submitted a request to the Californian state's House of Representatives Appropriations Committee for them to fund the LPOE at the cost of $1bn for fiscal year 2013 instead.
To date, the council has assigned $14m for site acquisition and project design. The project, which will be constructed in two phases, will comprise the expansion of the existing LPOE in downtown Calexico, including new inspection facilities, a new head office and supporting administration offices. The expanded facilities will occupy both the existing inspection compound and the site of the old inspection facility.
