What'dya Know About Cabo, MX: Sales Tax, Owning Property and More

For those interested in visiting or living in Cabo San Lucas, MX, there may be a few things that might be unknown to you. As an outsider looking in, you might only see the fun atmosphere laced with beaches, clubs and restaurants spotted with a famous face or two. But just like anywhere else in the world, there are laws and changes that are made that directly or indirectly affect you. Here's a few things to get to know.

Remember the numbers 0-6-6. Just like in your your hometown where you may have 9-1-1 or some other three digit, life saving number, Cabo San Lucas, MX has 0-6-6. For emergency needs this is the number to dial. Or unlike in the states, if you want to call in an emergency anonymously call 0-8-9. A name isn't absolutely necessary for 0-6-6 either but there's also the option of 0-8-9. Here you can give information without getting your name involved.

For expats or non-Spanish speaking visitors, English staff is also employed at the stations. However English speaking operators could be limited. The Cabo San Lucas location employs as many English speaking operators as possible. San Jose does not. Calls, however will be patched through as efficiently as possible.

The emergent lines operate 24 hours a day and have been said to have a response time of 15-20 minutes. Calls of any kind have been received from 0-6-6 anywhere from barking dogs to true emergencies.

For those vacationers or expatriates looking to place their pooch in the hands of care while they are away, Cabo San Lucas has Woof. Woof is an awesome daycare or kenneling service for your pet. They also offer free pet grooming for your pet's stay.

Dogs are placed in an air-conditioned facility with seperate glass encased rooms where they can have their own space to relax in. A television is also ran during their visit. Dogs are also allowed outdoors to a concreted area for playtimes with the other dogs. If you feel uncomfortable about this, the owner will gladly hear your concerns.

The extra special touch that Woof offers is how they approach kenneling your dog. If you're able to, you are asked to leave your dog there for a couple of hours in order to give your pet the sense of the place. This also lets your pet know you are coming back. Kind of a dog whisperer approach to making your dog feel at ease. Also during your dog's stay, another special touch is that the staff at Woof will email you pictures of your dog's progress. Who wouldn't want to make sure their pet's okay? With Woof you can ensure the safety and care of your pet comes first.

Currently non-locals owning land within 31 miles of the coastline or 62 miles of an international border has been a major no-no in Mexico. It has been done in the past but the process can be tedious and pricey. A strong fear, started centuries ago, has always been that foreigners will take over their country if they are allowed to own property. But things just might be changing. Mexico's strict ways on the selling land to foreign owners could be wavering.

The fight for keeping the restrictions on owning property isn't over. There are still those that carry the fear of the change. There are those, however, that keep tension to the subject and believe it will bring a positive boost to the economy with the foreign investment. The passing of this law still has a long way to go. Only time will tell what the end result will be. Not the right subject to hold your breath over.

Taxes in Mexico have made a rise as of January 2014. The rise has gone from 11% - to a whopping 16%! The change has been brought on by the ongoing abuse Mexico has taken from non-taxpayers. Those that choose not to pay have now caused a ripple in the pond. It's reported that 60% of Mexicans do not pay their taxes. Which now means that the 40% that have, now get to pay for it again. Not so awesome for them. Taxes have also been placed on sodas, dog food and gum. Some things that were non-existent before. So for those visiting and living here unloosen those purse string just a little bit more.

The U.S. will begin granting loans to Mexican businesses. The support will be given to those with a small or medium-sized business that have found it an obstacle to receive credit. The U.S. will spend $60 million in the support with the initiative called Path to Prosperity in the Americas.

Helping out the smaller businesses not only helps Mexico flourish but it helps owners continue to keep their livelihoods going. Along with the grant, proper training will also be given to owners and staff to weaken the possibility of failure.

Next time you view a menu while in Cabo it'll be hard to find the Marlin or Dorado on a menu. Not only hard to find, but it should be impossible. Laws have prohibited the selling of the two fish in restaurants. Which is totally different from restaurants being able to prepare them for you after you've combed the seas for them. That's just the catch (pardon my pun). Dorado and Marlin can only be sported for but not sold on the menu.

Whether you're a first time visitor or make countless visits to Cabo, there is always something you may not know. In an emergency, you can make a more efficient call for help. If you decided to stay longer than your vacation you now know some of the restrictions for owning residence. If you are looking to join in on the fun but don't know what to do with your pet, you now have a solution. Or the next time you grab a coke, you know what to expect in price. So now, you're a little more wiser for knowing a few of these details about Cabo San Lucas, MX that perhaps you didn't know before.