TRPA gains full funding

Tuesday, Aug. 26, 1997 | 5:17 a.m.

When Gov. Pete Wilson signed California's $69 billion budget last week, it contained the full $1.6 million sought for the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency. Nevada lawmakers earlier promised $856,000, under a formula that has Nevada provides a third of the TRPA's budget.

Agency chief Jim Baetge says the situation is "much, much improved" over last year's, when the move by the California Assembly to halve TRPA's budget angered Nevada lawmakers and prompted him to consider quitting.

"I can tell you very clearly it's a different world right now," Baetge added. "It's an environment where we can really do something, and it wasn't a year ago."

Baetge and others said factors that have helped the TRPA include a performance audit ordered by the California lawmakers as a condition to restoring funding. The audit strongly supported the agency's direction.

Also cited was a shift to Democratic control of the California Legislature. Before last November's election, the Assembly was dominated by the GOP. The TRPA got strong support this year from Assembly Speaker Cruz Bustamante, D-Fresno, Baetge said.

President Clinton's recent Tahoe summit also helped, focusing attention on the need to solve Lake Tahoe's environmental ills.

Last summer's move to strip funding from the TRPA was orchestrated by then-Assemblyman David Knowles, a Placerville Republican. Rico Oller, also a TRPA critic, replaced Knowles but Baetge said he was aware of no attempt to repeat last year's funding cut.

Nevada Assemblyman Brian Sandoval, R-Reno, who serves on a Tahoe oversight panel, said he's happy last year's effort to cut TRPA funding wasn't repeated because Tahoe needs help.

"Perhaps they understand now there is a very short window for us to respond and to protect the lake," he said.