Former California parks official says boss knew of hidden $53 million

http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20120726/WIRE/120729672/1036/business?Title=Ex-California-parks-official-says-boss-knew-of-hidden-53-million

A former state parks official said he repeatedly told his superiors about more than $53 million hidden in two accounts that could have been used to help California avoid the threat of closing 70 state parks, a newspaper reported Thursday.

Manuel Lopez, former deputy director of administrative services for the Department of Parks and Recreation, said he informed agency Director Ruth Coleman about a $20 million surplus in the Parks and Recreation Fund at least five times over a span of about five years, The Sacramento Bee reported.

A separate off-highway vehicle fund held another $33.5 million more than had been reported to the state Department of Finance.

Coleman resigned Friday over the situation and accepted overall responsibility but said in a telephone interview Thursday that she had been unaware of the surplus.

Nonprofit groups and local governments helped raise money and in some cases assumed responsibility to keep the 70 state parks operating past a July 1 closure deadline.