President-elect Felipe Cal- derón and some of his top economic advisers told members of the Chamber of Deputies Finance Committee Thursday that there will be no major changes proposed in the 2007 budget.The new economic package is to be delivered to the lower house by Dec. 5 and formally presented by the as-yet unnamed finance secretary on Dec. 7.
Agustín Carstens and Ernesto Cordero, ranking members of Calderón´s economic team assembled for the transition period that ends with his inauguration on Dec. 1, met with legislators to discuss the upcoming budget.
Jorge Estefan, Finance Committee chairman and a member of the opposition Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), said the message from Calderón was clear - no sweeping overhaul.
"I´m sure that this economic package is going to be responsible and prudent," Estefan said. "The nation isn´t in a position for aggressive changes, or for fiscal changes that will start a debate."
Not in attendance at the meeting were any members of the Democratic Revolution Party (PRD) and its legislative allies, the Labor and Convergence parties.
The other two major parties - the PRI and Calderón´s own National Action Party (PAN) - promised to stay in contact and work together throughout the budget process.
But PRI national president Mariano Palacios Alcocer warned that his legislators won´t act as "non-critical collaborators" during the Calderón administration.
"His most difficult days haven´t begun yet," Palacios said in a speech to former PRI legislators.
But the incoming president did get an offer of help from one experienced chief executive. Former U.S. President Bill Clinton, in Monterrey for an international technology conference, expressed his desire to help with Mexico´s development.
"I´d love to be Felipe Calderón´s adviser," he said.
