Request for Beach Funds Makes Waves : Safety: Lawmakers assail state parks agency’s bid for $7 million to operate eight L.A. sites previously run by county.

A request by the state Department of Parks and Recreation for nearly $7 million to operate eight local beaches previously run by the county is drawing fire from some California lawmakers as an exorbitant and unnecessary run on scarce state resources.

The emergency request to draw $6,791,000 from the state’s general fund has been approved by the Department of Finance but faces a hearing today in the Joint Legislative Budget Committee, which could vote to block or amend the action.

Parks officials say the money is needed to ensure a smooth transition of lifeguard and maintenance operations to its new Manhattan Beach-based Santa Monica Bay District office and to ensure continued public safety on some of the Southland’s most popular beaches.

Some legislators are balking, arguing that the huge outlay is unwarranted and questioning the department’s need for thousands of dollars worth of equipment and office supplies such as fax machines, computers and a $9,000 copier.

“There has been no demonstration of an emergency sufficient to justify this,” said Assemblywoman Debra Bowen, (D-Marina del Rey), who represents a large swath of coastal communities from Marina del Rey to the Palos Verdes Peninsula. “Twenty-two computers, 18 half-ton pickup trucks and seven fax machines to ensure public safety? It sounds absolutely ridiculous.”

Parks officials say much of the expenditure is for a onetime purchase of needed equipment and defended the costs.

“We’re not out spending money for no reason,” said state parks department Director Donald W. Murphy. “ The computers and other office equipment are part of a normal operation. But we are trying to be as frugal as possible.”

The parks department assumed control of the beaches this month, ending a 40-year arrangement with the county to provide maintenance and lifeguards at Malibu, Manhattan, Dan Blocker, Point Dume, Redondo, Royal Palms, Las Tunas and Topanga beaches.

County officials, facing a possible $1-billion deficit next fiscal year, had demanded that the state pay part of the annual $4.3 million in operational costs and had voted to discontinue services as of May 2.

In ending the arrangement, the parks department argued that the state could not afford to enter into a long-term cost-sharing deal with the county and could run the beaches cheaper itself.

But Bowen and others are asking for an accounting of the department’s proposed expenditures. Items in the funding request include two laptop computers at $4,500 each; seven $1,000 fax machines; five dump trucks for $475,000; three rescue boats for $450,000, and six passenger vans for $122,000.

The costs raised alarms with officials in the legislative analyst’s office, who expressed concern that the department had begun spending some of the requested funds and questioned whether there was an immediate need.

“We believe that in the short term, the [parks department] could protect public safety at the beaches at a much lower cost than the amount requested, such as by contracting the equipment services either from the county or the private sector,” said deputy legislative analyst Hadley Johnson Jr. in a letter to the Joint Legislative Budget Committee.

Parks officials say those options are not realistic. Murphy said that although the county has cooperated in providing some equipment to the state, it has refused to lease or loan its rescue boats. County officials could not be reached for comment.

But Carl Drake, parks department aquatics specialist, said much of the county’s equipment is too old to use.

And a lot of private businesses, he added, would have a problem leasing such equipment.