By Kevin Herrera
Editor in Chief

DOWNTOWN Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s decision not to re-appoint brother-in-law Bobby Shriver, a Santa Monica City Councilman, and actor-director Clint Eastwood to the State Parks Commission has raised questions on whether their opposition to the rejected Foothill South toll road in south Orange County was a factor.

Aaron McLear, Schwarzenegger’s press secretary, said there was nothing controversial about the decision to withhold re-appointment of the men, who both have served on the commission since 2001.

“It’s very, very common when a term is up not to re-appoint,” McLear told the Daily Press this week. “The governor thinks both did an outstanding job and is gratified by their service to the state.”

Many people are vying for appointments, McLear said, “and it’s important to allow others to serve.”

Both Shriver and Eastwood were appointed to the commission in 2001 by then-Gov. Gray Davis and re-appointed by Schwarzenegger in 2004. Of the nine- member board, only Shriver’s and Eastwood’s terms ended on Saturday.

McLear acknowledged that all nine members of the commission disagreed with Schwarzenegger’s stand in favor of building the 16-mile extension of the Foothill South tollway through San Onofre State Beach.

The project was proposed by the Transportation Corridor Agencies, which has appealed a state Coastal Commission decision rejecting the project, which was roundly opposed by environmentalists and surfers.

McLear said disagreements do arise among people serving on state boards and commissions and Schwarzenegger.

“It’s not uncommon for disagreement on a number of issues,” McLear said.

Shriver told the Daily Press that he was shocked that he was not re-appointed and felt that the decision by Schwarzenegger, who is married to Shriver’s sister Maria, was made because he did not show support for the toll road project.

Shriver said he found out about the decision by phone on Monday when he was contacted by the appointments office. The governor later called Shriver, but the councilman would not disclose what was said about the appointment.

“I told him that he better watch his food at the next family barbecue,” Shriver said with a laugh. “He better bring a taster.”

Shriver said he felt strongly that allowing a toll road through public park land would set a damaging precedent.

Maria Shriver, told K-ABC that both men handled their duties well.

“Well I love my brother,” she said. “I think he and Clint both did extraordinary work on the parks. And, I think that they’ll continue to do extraordinary work for California.”

State Parks Commissioner Paul Witt said, “This is a state with a tech sector, with great universities, with some of the finest minds in the world. We can come up with alternatives that don’t involve raping parks.”

Toll road transit planners last month filed an appeal with the U.S. Secretary of Commerce, which has the authority to override the Coastal Commission’s conclusion that the road would violate environmental laws that regulate development along the state’s coastline, according to Jennifer Seaton of the Transportation Corridor Agencies.

The appeal states that the “limited negative environmental effects of the project are more than offset by environmental benefits and, in any case, the project’s furtherance of the national interest strongly outweighs any adverse effect.”

Shriver said that while he was disappointed with his brother-in-law’s decision, he was glad that he was able to serve as long as he did and was able to accomplish some of the goals he set for himself and the commission. Shriver wanted to serve on the commission because he was interested in getting more urban parks built in Los Angeles because there is a lower ratio of parks to people in the region than in any other major city in the country, and that is counting the beach as a park.

“I couldn’t understand how people could raise their kids or have a life without some experience of nature around them,” Shriver said.

During his tenure the commission set aside money to purchase park land near Downtown Los Angeles and along the Los Angeles River. Shriver said he was disappointed that the commission couldn’t keep rates charged for entrance to state parks down, which in turn discourages middle- and low-income families from visiting.

“The parks ought to be free,” Shriver said. “I would have liked to have done more and had more money to open up some land, but I had a pretty good run.”

kevinh@smdp.com