11/23 Oakland press article discusses a DNR advisory panel that is seeking ways to raise money for the DNR. In light of the past election Ballot proposal passing, they are still trying to raise money from user fees of all kinds everything from state park entrance and rentla fees to hunting, trapping, and fishing licenses. This is no small bump they are considering either - Deer licenses currently $15 are proposed to double to $30 for next year. For Seniors over 65, it goes from $6 to $24 - ouch. Fishing numbers were not relesed yet, but I am sure on the same levels of increase. This panel proposal is all contingent on approval by the state Legislature. Gov Granholm has already stated she would be open to signing such a bill if the legislature brought it to her - again, in 5 years we'll be blown away!
They show financial stats that the DNR is in a serious budget crisis, losing 200 employees over the past decade, cutting services and programs including coho salmon stocking, bovine TB and chronic wasting disease monitoring. They expect a $40 MM deficit by 2010 on the current trends. The DNR share of the general fund has fallen over the past decade from 23% of operations in 96-97, to less than 9% today. Hmmm, let them raid the general fund for other things and you run a huge deficit - go figure! The trend that we should really pay attention to is that Hunting and fishing is losing popularity. Between 1986 and 2005, the number of licensed anglers dropped 22%, while hunters fell 14%. I certainly hope the efforts of organizations like TBF, Fed Nat, Walleye, salmon and other speciies specific folks put a little more effort in recruiting s well as youth activities to populate the future.
Lets make sure we stay on top of this, a this is the type of thing that gets ramrodded thru at midnoght in the first legislative session of the year when no one is really paying attention yet - and paying is what we'll be doing.
Jack
Im all in for a small increase to keep up with inflation maybe 5 to 10 bucks but doubling and tripiling licenses is gouging to the extreme, especialy the seniors, sounds like some evil plan, rape the old and steal from the young!!!!
paying for a fishing license is an expected expense to pay DNR employess and maintenence costs but dont forget that we also pay for our launch fees, tournament taxes and those who get citations also, it all adds up to a huge amount of cash so Im not buying the broke thing!
I believe its a money managment problem and we shouldnt be the ones fixing it!
heres a perfect example of granholms management plans
you know all those nice rest stops we have along our freeways, well were taking 69 of them down including the parking lots to bare soil(good parking lots) and building them from the ground up at a cost of over $2 million each over the next year!
sooooo what happend to the state being broke?
Here's alink to the report from the DNR. I'm not opposed some form of a license hike, as long as the money is managent efficiently. The real question is how do we get these kids away from PS3's and onto the water?
http://www.michigan.gov/documents/dnr/final_report_177934_7.pdf
After skimming thru the actual report (thanx for posting that) it just seems wrong to go after the 25% funding from the users in an increase to make up for the shortfall of the previous higher funding levels from the general fund. This seems to be the path of least resistance and less political than going to the legislature for more cash from the general fund. What is the outcome now that the state ballot proposal that just passed keeping funds earmarked only for those they were paid into? ie - since game and fish now has more funds kept in their coffers, they expect to reduce the general fund levels even more? wouldn't surprise me thats for sure -
Jack