Conservancy Purchases

The failure of the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy to protect “dirt Mulholland,” a local and historic treasure, is inexcusable. Further, your editorial (“In This Case, Conservancy Is Wise to Save Cash, Not Land,” April 20) is incomplete and therefore inaccurate.

No responsible person asks the conservancy to purchase the subject property “at a prohibitively expensive price.” However, the conservancy has had seven years since approval of the subject project within which to obtain its own appraisal, and it has failed to do so.

Instead of buying property outside the Santa Monica Mountains or making political purchases such as the Ed Edelman Park, the conservancy should protect the historic and environmental treasures of these mountains. It requires only a little advance planning.

Besides the 1996 Proposition A bond funds of nearly $18 million for the Santa Monica Mountains, there are unspent millions from the similar 1992 Proposition A bond fund. It would help if The Times would request an accounting for these unspent millions, an accounting that has been refused when requested by local taxpayers and voters.

H. MELVIN SWIFT JR.

Tarzana