Publisher’s note: This editorial is from the Feb. 23, 2014, Sacramento Bee.

California State Parks has been under new leadership for more than a year, after the “hidden funds” scandal shredded its public standing.

Parks Forward, a commission established by the Legislature to make recommendations for an overhaul, will come out with a report in April.

With so much turmoil and turnover in the agency in the last few years, the question now is how long it will take to rebuild the department so that we have a California state parks system focused on public enjoyment and preservation of the state’s natural resources and history. Parks Forward already has pointed out that, even under new leadership, many financial problems remain. Financial information still is difficult to obtain, is not consistent across divisions and doesn’t match with the governor’s budget. Budget gimmickry continues, such as holding positions vacant and using the money to fund operations.

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