State Parks Chief Resigns

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State Parks director Anthony Jackson 

After spending just 18 months working to reform a financially troubled department, Maj. Anthony Jackson announced Wednesday he would resign as chief of the California State Parks Department. 

In a statement issued Wednesday, Jackson gave no specific reason for his sudden resignation, but called his time with State Parks “fulfilling.” 

“I want to thank Gov. Brown and the dedicated group of professionals at State Parks for the opportunity to return to public service and help earn back the public’s trust in one of California’s most valuable assets,” he said. “It has been a challenging, but ultimately fulfilling tenure at California State Parks.”

Jackson was appointed by Gov. Jerry Brown to head up the reeling Parks department in November 2012, four months after revelations surfaced that the department had concealed $54 million in secret funds even as it planned to close 70 parks in 2011. The closures were avoided because local cities and nonprofits put up their own money to subsidize the operation of the parks, which deepened the sense of betrayal when the secret funds were discovered. The scandal resulted in the resignations of former director Ruth Coleman and other agency officials.

There are more than 200 State Parks, Historic Parks, Beaches and other protected state-owned areas spread throughout California. Of the two-dozen State Park lands located in LA County, five are in Malibu: Leo Carillo State Park, Malibu Creek State Park, Malibu Lagoon State Beach, Point Dume State Beach and Robert H. Meyer Memorial State Beach. State Parks also owns the Malibu Pier and the Adamson House.