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Gov. Brown Signs Bills That He Says Will Save State Parks For (At Least) Two Years, Prevent Another $54 Million Scandal
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Gov. Jerry Brown signed a raft of bills that he claims will keep all of the state parks open and ensure that the State's Parks Department doesn't hide $54 million during a budget crisis again.
Thanks to the bills, the parks will remain open for at least two years, there will be another $30 million in funding and the parks will have more fundraising tools available to them, according to the Associated Press.
This summer more than 70 parks were threatened with closure. Parks scrambled to find partners who would help keep the parks open. It was later discovered that employees kept $54 million hidden. The Department of Parks and Recreation Director Ruth Coleman resigned and another senior parks official was terminated after the scandal came to light.
Brown signed another bill this month, the AP reports, that was crafted in order to detect potentially hidden money in the budget to make sure that everyone is working off of the exact same number.
Related:
WTF? State Parks Dept. Sat On Whopping $54M Surplus While Parks Were Threatened With Closure
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