Funds for Ahmanson Habitat Are Vetoed

Gov. Gray Davis has vetoed legislation that would have set aside $10 million for the purchase of sensitive habitat and watershed areas on the Ahmanson Ranch property near the Los Angeles-Ventura county line.

State Sen. Tom Hayden (D-Los Angeles), whose district abuts the site of the 3,050-unit housing project, had championed the spending proposal in an effort to persuade the developer to sell portions of the property that are home to a rare flower and an endangered frog.

The Legislature included the money in its budget last month as part of a $130-million spending package to preserve open space and the habitat of threatened or endangered species on 25 sites across California.

Davis vetoed the entire package because, he said, it would have over-subscribed the funding available from park bonds approved by voters in March.

In his veto message, Davis also said he objected to the spending plan because he was not sure that the value of the wildlife on the 25 sites had been sufficiently evaluated or that the owners of the various properties were willing to sell.

Washington Mutual Inc., the developer of Ahmanson Ranch, has repeatedly indicated that it is not interested in selling any portion of its ranchland.