ABOUT THIS INVESTIGATION
The California Department of Parks and Recreation has been hit by scandal this summer. It began with news in July, first reported by The Sacramento Bee, of an unauthorized vacation buyout program offered to employees at agency headquarters, which resulted in payouts of more than $271,000. A week later, state officials revealed that the department had been sitting on $54 million in surplus money in two special funds, even as it moved to close 70 state parks because of supposed funding shortfalls. The long-serving department director, Ruth Coleman, resigned on July 19, and her chief deputy was fired. Numerous other employees have been demoted, and an attorney general's investigation is under way.
Highlights
Background of parks funding issue
• Hidden California state parks funds spark outrage
• Key players in parks scandal
• Man central to parks scandal says he told superiors about surplus funds
• Parks officials were looking to spend while shortchanging parks, documents show
Documents
• The parks investigation documents: Read the audit
• Ruth Coleman's resignation letter [PDF]
State of the State Parks special report:
• Parks plagued by decay
• Crimes in our parks
• Parks vs. civilization
• State Parks in dire straits
Parks Database
• Guide to each of California's 278 state parks including maintenance backlog and crime reports
• Hidden California state parks funds spark outrage
• Key players in parks scandal
• Man central to parks scandal says he told superiors about surplus funds
• Parks officials were looking to spend while shortchanging parks, documents show
Documents
• The parks investigation documents: Read the audit
• Ruth Coleman's resignation letter [PDF]
State of the State Parks special report:
• Parks plagued by decay
• Crimes in our parks
• Parks vs. civilization
• State Parks in dire straits
Parks Database
• Guide to each of California's 278 state parks including maintenance backlog and crime reports
From the State Worker blog
BEE REPORTERS ON THIS INVESTIGATION
Matt Weiser, a senior writer at The Sacramento Bee, has covered environmental issues, water resources and flood control for the newspaper since 2005. A graduate of Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, he has worked as a reporter, editor and freelance writer in California since 1988. Contact him: mweiser@sacbee.com
Kevin Yamamura has worked at the Sacramento Bee since 1999. He has spent a decade in the Capitol Bureau and has covered the state budget for the last five years. He is a native of the Sacramento area and a graduate of Del Campo High School and Cornell University. Contact him: kyamamura@sacbee.com
Bee Capitol Bureau reporter Jon Ortiz has covered California's bureaucracy since the summer of 2008 when he launched The State Worker blog and weekly column. In 2003 he graduated from Sacramento State with a double major in political science and journalism and soon covered business for The Bee. Contact him: jortiz@sacbee.com
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