State beaches face crisis

Jenny Marder

The California State Parks Department has hiked user costs and fees

for special events on Huntington’s state beaches to keep lifeguards

at full staff. Other state parks and beaches have seen massive cuts

in programs.

State beach officials have their fingers crossed that a

$35-million proposed budget reduction of the state parks budget will

not affect the number of lifeguards.

“The government has indicated that public safety concerns will be

the last thing to cut,” Lifeguard Supervisor Mike Brousard said. “So

far, we have not received a substantial cut in terms of lifeguards.

For now, it’s business as usual.”

With large summertime crowds at the beach, it’s necessary to have

every tower open, he added.

The governor’s proposed state parks budget, which is still in the

hearing stage, would slice $35 million from the California State

Parks annual budget. But with statewide increases in user and camping

fees to offset the cuts, the result would be only a 10% reduction

from last year’s general fund.

“What we’re trying to do is get through the worst budget crisis we

have had in a decade,” said Roy Stearns, deputy director of

California State Parks.

Rangers and lifeguards are doing what they can to keep the parks

and beaches together despite the cuts, but it’s difficult, said Susan

Smartt, president of the California State Parks Foundation.

“I’ve never seen a group of people able to do so much with so

little,” she said.

According to Stearns, Huntington State Beach has nearly 3.6

million visitors a year, second in attendance to Old Town San Diego,

also a state park.

“It’s one of the most popular beaches in all of Southern

California,” he said.

The user fee at Huntington State Beach and Bolsa Chica State Beach

almost doubled, jumping from $3 to $5, and the cost of special events

such as weddings, parties and surf contests jumped roughly 25%,

Brousard said.

Surf City’s state beaches accommodate about one special event per

day during the week and several on weekends, he said.