COUNTY MAY STOP RUNNING CASTAIC BUDGET CUTS MIGHT CLOSE POPULAR LAKE.Byline: Patricia Farrell Aidem Staff Writer SANTA CLARITA Santa Clarita, city (1990 pop. 110,642), Los Angeles co., S Calif., suburb 30 mi (48 km) NW of downtown Los Angeles, on the Santa Clara River; inc. 1987. Situated in the Santa Clara valley and nearby canyons, Santa Clarita includes the former towns of Canyon Country, - The county would relinquish management of Castaic Lake Castaic Lake is a lake on Castaic Creek formed by Castaic Dam, in northwestern Los Angeles County, California, near the town of Castaic. The 323,700 acre foot lake (399,000,000 m³) is the terminus of the West Branch of the California Aqueduct, though some comes from the 154 mi² to the state if the Legislature goes ahead with a series of budget cuts - a move that could close the popular boating, swimming and fishing spot, officials said Wednesday. The Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. County Department of Parks and Recreation has recommended that the Board of Supervisors save $2.8 million by canceling its contract to run the state-owned Castaic Lake Recreation Area, parks officials said. Also at risk are programs at the Placerita Nature Center, also owned by the state and run by the county, said Karen Grant Karen Grant was a fictional character in the UK Soap Opera Brookside, played by Sheelagh O'Hara from Episode two in 1982 until 1988 when the character left the series. Family
Given the state's massive budget deficit - estimated at $34 billion - it is likely the state would not be able to operate the parks, said one state parks official, refusing to identify herself. The state has been reimbursing local governments for revenues they would otherwise have lost when the vehicle registration fee was reduced by two-thirds in 1998. California can no longer afford to make those payments, according to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. Gov. Gray Davis. If those cuts are approved by the Legislature, Los Angeles County stands to lose $650 million, officials said. Anticipating that possibility, the parks department has been told to prepare to cut 50 percent from its nearly $100 million annual budget, said Judy Hammond, spokeswoman for the county. It's logical, Grant said, for the county to drop funding earmarked for state-owned parks. ``Castaic and Placerita belong to the state,'' Grant said. ``What we're saying is if the state's not giving us the money, we can't continue to operate their programs.'' The county does recoup recoup To sell an asset at a price sufficient to recover the original outlay or to offset a previous loss. some money at Castaic through parking fees, but does not break even, she said. On peak summer days at Castaic Lake, 70 county lifeguards control the crowds, conduct rescues, provide first aid and cite errant er·rant adj. 1. Roving, especially in search of adventure: knights errant. 2. Straying from the proper course or standards: errant youngsters. 3. boaters and swimmers, said Derek Elleri, president of the Los Angeles County Lake Lifeguard Association. Countywide, the department already has cut trails maintenance and reduced utilities in an effort to trim 10 percent from its expenses, Grant said. Staff writer Heather Macdonald contribute to this story. |
|
||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion