Bill Could Fix Pier, Buy Glasgow Strip

Repairs on the Manhattan Beach Pier and the purchase of a controversial strip of land along the San Diego Freeway in Hawthorne would be financed under a tentative agreement among legislative leaders to split about $48 million to pay for dozens of public works projects across the state.

Under the legislation made public Wednesday night, $500,000 would be earmarked for the pier, and $200,000 would be used to buy the so-called Glasgow strip in Hawthorne--a proposal that Gov. George Deukmejian cut from the state budget in July.

Many of the projects in the package, which lawmakers hoped to insert into legislation late Wednesday night or today, had been vetoed by Deukmejian.

But Sen. Dan McCorquodale (D-San Jose), chairman of the Senate Natural Resources Committee, said the governor has indicated that he would consider approving what he regards as a more fair allocation of the funds.

McCorquodale said he is uncertain whether Deukmejian will sign the proposal. In recent years, Deukmejian has agreed to similar proposals put together in the closing days of the legislative session, which ends Friday. The list of projects was still being finalized Wednesday night.

Agreement Confirmed

Kevin Brett, the governor’s press secretary, confirmed that there is a basic agreement and that the state Department of Parks and Recreation staff is reviewing projects. He said it is conceivable that some projects could be removed from the legislation.

The $48 million would come from a variety of sources, including park bonds, highway funds, the Proposition 70 park bond of 1988 and the new Proposition 99 tobacco tax revenue.

McCorquodale said the funding levels were determined by the governor and the Democratic and Republican caucuses of the Assembly and the Senate. The senator said the aim of staff negotiators was “to do something reasonable.”

The 69-year-old Manhattan Beach Pier has been plagued by cracked and falling concrete and exposed girders, which have rusted. Funds for the repairs were sought by Sen. Robert Beverly (R-Manhattan Beach) and Assemblyman Gerald N. Felando (R-San Pedro).

The Glasgow strip is a narrow, mile-long parcel on the west side of the San Diego Freeway between Wiseburn and Rosecrans avenues.

At the urging of residents of the Holly Glen neighborhood, Assemblyman Richard E. Floyd (D-Carson) has sought to persuade the state Department of Transportation to buy the property for $200,000. Hawthorne city officials have contended that the property is best suited for open space.