FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

08-02-12 600AM

The California State Parks Foundation (CSPF) delivered a letter Wednesday to Gov. Jerry Brown, President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg and Speaker of the Assembly John A. Pérez, urging them to take swift action to achieve resolution on the irregularities being reported from the Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR).

Speaking on behalf of park supporters statewide, CSPF voiced dismay that the recent news has undermined the urgency and necessity for citizen support for parks. CSPF offered a four-point framework for near-term proceedings and legislative action.

The four points call for an independent audit, dedication of the money to state park purposes, use of the funds to specifically keep parks open, and establishment of a qualified, independent body to provide transparency and oversight for DPR.

“We at CSPF feel a commitment and duty to all park visitors to ensure that these scandals do not define our state park system,” wrote CSPF President Goldstein in the letter. “You, as leaders of our state, have an obligation and an opportunity to restore confidence and rebuild this system for California.”

The California State Parks Foundation, comprising 130,000 members, is the only independent nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting, enhancing and advocating for California’s state parks. For more information about California’s state parks, visit www.calparks.org.

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