WHITE HOUSE NOT BACKING BILL TO REPAIR AILING MISSIONS.

Byline: Lisa Friedman Washington Bureau

WASHINGTON - The Bush administration will not support legislation funding repairs to San Gabriel Arcangel and California's 20 other crumbling historic missions, a Department of Interior official said Tuesday.

San Buenaventura in Ventura and San Fernando Reyde Espana in Mission Hills also would be eligible for repair funds under the legislation.

The bill authorizing $10 million in federal matching funds to repair missions from San Diego to Sonoma also faced opposition at a Senate hearing from a church-state separation watchdog who said taxpayers should not fund church repairs.

``These missions are houses of worship. They are not simply museums. Funds to fix the ceilings and windows and to revitalize the religious icons on the walls must come from their congregants,'' as well as visitors and charitable groups, testified the Rev. Barry Lynn, executive director of the Americans Unified for Separation of Church and State.

Erosion, termite infestations and natural disasters have wreaked havoc on California's missions over the years.

San Gabriel Arcangel, which needs about $500,000 to restore rotted redwood beams and cracked adobe walls, is among those most in need of repair, according to the California Mission Foundation.

Meanwhile, Mission San Miguel was completely shuttered by the magnitude 6.5 earthquake that struck the central coast on December 22. Even before the quake, Mission San Miguel was considered the most frail in the state and in need of about $10 million worth of repairs.

Altogether, the California Mission Foundation estimates it needs about $50 million for structural repairs, visitor-related improvements and preserving Spanish colonial-era paintings, furniture and documents throughout California.

But while the California Missions Preservation Act - sponsored by Reps. Sam Farr, D-Salinas, and David Dreier, R-Glendora - sailed through the House in October 2003, supporters said they fear Tuesday's critical testimony before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks could sink the bill.

California Sen. Barbara Boxer, speaking to the League of California Cities on Tuesday, gave the legislation a ``fifty-fifty chance.''

She also slammed the White House, and picked a finger-wagging fight with National Park Service Special Assistant Daniel Smith, over the administration's claims that the bill would suck too much money from other critical projects.

``We've got an emergency here,'' Boxer told Smith before the hearing.

Smith said the Bush administration could not support a new federal funding commitment when the National Park Service was having trouble taking care of its existing parks. And, he said, supporters of California missions should instead turn to a grant program, Save America's Treasures, run through the National Park Service.

Boxer, who co-sponsored the Senate version of the missions legislation along with Sen. Dianne Feinstein, noted that the average grant amount offered through Save America's Treasures is $268,000.

``If I did it your way, every one of our missions would be on the ground. Is that what you want?'' Boxer asked Smith.

She also objected to church-state separation issues, noting that the Bush administration has advocated partnering the California Mission Foundation with the Catholic Church - something she said is sure to raise objections. The bill, which she called a ``moderate approach,'' would give matching grants over five years to the California Mission Foundation that would, in turn, fund specific repairs.

The Catholic Church created the missions as the Spanish colonized the region that is now California.

According to the California Missions Foundation, more than 5 million people visited the missions last year.

San Gabriel Mayor David Gutierrez said federal funds to repair the 233- year-old San Gabriel Arcangel are critical.

Lisa Friedman, [phone]

lisa.friedman(at)langnews.com