State Beaches

Re “Surfing Into Unsafe Waters?” editorial, April 17:

A one of the two supervisors representing the coastal area, I can speak for the entireboard in saying that our first preference would be to continue providing, with adequate reimbursement, uniformly high-quality county lifeguard and maintenance services on all beaches within Los Angeles County, regardless of ownership. Our second choice would be for other jurisdictions, like the state, to step in to maintain and operate their own beaches. The least acceptable alternative, clearly would be to compromise public safety or close the beaches.

Contrary to your assertion, the recent action by the Board of Supervisors was neither unexpected nor new. The county simple reaffirmed its intention, formally declared last year, to exercise its right under an existing agreement with the state to withdraw services with proper notice from state- owned, county- operated beaches.

For many reasons, the state continues to be in a far better financial position than we are to pay for these beaches’ operation, and we believe it should; they are, after all, state beaches. The state’s counterproposal to transfer their ownership to the county was fraught with legal, financial and environmental problems. With these unresolved and the state unyielding, the plan finally collapsed on its own weight. All of us remain hopeful that an accomodation can be worked out that will serve the beach- going public while protecting the county’s financial interests. But the clock is ticking down to May 2, and the next move is up to the state. ZEV YAROSLAVSKY Supervisor, Third District