(August 14, 2003) -- As part of his formal statement submitted for inclusion in the voter pamphlet for the Oct. 7 recall election regarding Gov. Gray Davis, Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante says in pertinent part:

"If you support my work as Chairman of the State Lands Commission to protect our coast and rivers;...Then I am asking you to vote "No" on the Recall and "Yes" On Bustamante." [italic emphasis in original].

In 2002, as chairman of the three-member State Lands Commission, Lt. Gov. Bustamante initially declined to approve, then a few months later cast a vote which effectively facilitated commercial uses desired by LB City Hall and opposed by environmental and other activists as part of Queensway Bay (now called the "Pike at Rainbow Harbor").

Lt. Gov. Bustamante voted to allow a public trust land "swap" in which the State Lands Commission relinquished public trust rights to certain Queensway Bay commercial footprints (about 3 acres) in exchange for placing public trust tidelands restrictions on roughly 10 acres of property conveyed to the state by the City of LB...consisting mainly of former industrial parcels along the east side of the L.A. river and a presently inaccessible freeway median near downtown.

A statewide environmental group, CA Earth Corps, has challenged the State Lands Commission action in court, concerned that allowing tidelands trust swaps for such purposes will invite further commercial development of the coast. A Superior Court upheld the State Lands Commission action...and CA Earth Corps has appealed (now pending).

A pictorial with our opinion/perspective on the State Lands Commission action is posted on a link below.

Statements submitted by candidates are posted on the Secretary of State's web site as part of a legal public review period and are subject to court ordered changes if they are challenged on certain statutory grounds.