Donors Who Bailed Out State Parks Want Money Back

Outrage over "lost and found" $54 million in state park funding.

When the state said it couldn't run its parks, the citizens stepped up.

When the state said oops, and told citizens it had the money all along, the citizens got stomping mad.

Several top state parks officials lost their jobs after it was revealed they had $54 million on-hand in "largely unknown accounts," the LA Times reported.

Both local newspapers and donors who bailed out the state are demanding their money back, the newspaper reported.

County supervisors in Ventura County sent a letter to state officials demanding $50,000 back for its contribution to the $500,000 paid to keep a state beach open.

Altogether, the public banded together and saved 69 of 70 state parks slated for closure.

There is now worry that the public will refuse to raise money to save parks in the future, the newspaper reported.

In Sonoma County, a move to institute a local sales tax to save parks was nixed.

Copyright FREEL - NBC Local Media
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