After Fight to Save Los Encinos State Historic Park, Parks Department Reveals $54 Million Surplus

The California Parks Department has been found to have a surplus of $54 million in its budget, according to the Los Angeles Times, even as it has been threatening 70 parks across the state with closure due to budget cuts, including

The Department's director, Ruth Coleman, has resigned in the wake of the revelation, according to the article, and Secretary John Laird of the California Natural Resources Agency told reporters that "lawmakers will ultimately decide how to appropriate the surplus."

Local residents in Encino have been fighting to keep Los Encinos from closing due to lack of state funds. enough to keep the park from closing for another year.

Kathy Moghimi-Patterson, the at large representative of the Encino Neighborhood Council, had this to say in response to the news.

"Once I heard this news, I thought about  and contributed the funds to Los Encinos State Historic Park last year.  From the very beginning, the community objected to the State that Los Encinos should not be placed in the closure list as this park was and is a historic site. No intelligible response was ever received. For over a year now, we have been asked to encourage people to donate money for the park. This is indeed a shame. The State of California owes an apology to all of those who put their time, money and soul into saving this park.    

"Moving forward, I believe that the local nonprofit organizations such as Los Encinos SHP Docent should be supported and strengthened. Los Encinos Docent consists of people who truly care for our history and culture. On that note, Los Encinos SHP will remain open because of the community which stood tall and supported its history and culture. Please visit the park. Our strong community is now a part of the history of this beautiful historic site."  

Check back with Patch for updates on how lawmakers will distribute the surplus funds, and whether Los Encinos will be among the recipients.

To read Encino Patch's full coverage of the effort to save Los Encinos by following the links below.