California's new state parks director was sworn in Friday amid hopeful applause and assurances of fiscal integrity.
Anthony L. Jackson, 63, is a retired Marine Corps major general from Fallbrook and a graduate of San Jose State University. Upon retirement, he was in charge of six Marine Corps bases in the Southwest and also served two years in Iraq as assistant chief of staff for the First Marine Expeditionary Force.
He was sworn in Friday in Sacramento by Natural Resources Secretary John Laird. The position pays $150,000 a year and requires Senate confirmation.
Jackson takes over amid turmoil in the department and a breach of public trust after parks headquarters officials earlier this year were discovered to have hidden $54 million in two special funds. The money was kept hidden even as the department moved to close 70 parks to achieve $22 million in state budget cuts.
Former parks director Ruth Coleman resigned and numerous other staff were fired or reassigned. Two investigations are ongoing.
"I want to operate the department with absolute integrity, and that will be a watchword of mine," Jackson said. "I want to win the trust of the people of the state of California. I want people to know every nickle, every dime will be honestly handled within the department."
Jackson retired in November 2011 after 36 years in the Marines. He said that in January he purchased an RV as a retirement gift to himself. Since then, he and his wife have logged 10,000 miles visiting state and national parks in California.
Jackson has two adult sons, one of whom graduates from Sacramento State University in December and attended his swearing-in on Friday.
"The natural resources of the state of California, the beauty, our ecological concern, the way we are a state which leads is something I've had great pride in," Jackson said. "I'm really kind of stunned I'm in this position. But I'm also exhilarated."
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