Bill to Rescue Wildlife Haven Passes, Goes to Deukmejian

A bill to give $300,000 to the Wildlife Waystation, the Tujunga Canyon animal refuge, is in the hands of Gov. George Deukmejian.

The Legislature overwhelmingly approved the measure by Assemblywoman Marian W. La Follette (R-Northridge) on Thursday.

The Senate passed the bill on a 28-0 vote and returned it to the Assembly, which voted 62 to 11 to accept the Senate version.

The 160-acre private, nonprofit Wildlife Waystation has sought the money for improvements to its water supply, sewers, drainage and roads. Waystation officials say they need the improvements to get Los Angeles County’s approval to use the reserve for fund-raising events, which they say are necessary for the wildlife haven’s survival. The Waystation cares for wild animals abandoned or mistreated by human owners, or exiled when they prove unmanageable.

Funds From License Plates

The $300,000 would come from the state’s environmental license-plate fund, which is reserved for conservation purposes.

Ron Kester, La Follette’s legislative assistant, said Friday that the assemblywoman had anticipated passage of her emergency legislation and met with the governor several weeks ago to lobby for his support.

Kester said La Follette hopes to arrange another session with Deukmejian to discuss the bill next week. When a bill reaches the governor’s desk, he has 12 days to act.

A spokeswoman for the governor said he has taken no position on the legislation. But officials of the state Department of Finance opposed it, saying that the appropriation may not meet the standards for using the environmental license-plate funds.

Nevertheless, James Messersmith, an assistant director of the Department of Fish and Game, said Friday that his agency has begun to prepare to oversee the grant.

Audit Required

“We’re not just going to write them a check,” he said, pointing out that the legislation would require the department to audit the Waystation’s books and obtain a plan from the refuge on how the money will be spent.

The fish and game department, which took no position on the bill, has a contract with the refuge and often takes it animals that have been abandoned or confiscated by state authorities.

“We don’t have these kind of facilities,” Messersmith said, “so we pay them to take care of animals.”