"Anglers share unfair burden..."

[Walleye_GFA]

http://www.startribune.com/stories/531/3835059.html

Above is article from Star Tribune on what our license fees and outdoor taxes pay...

Wally

[SpikeRoberts]

Thanks for posting the article WGFA. A few weeks ago, I received a copy of Dave Overland's letter of resignation and was waiting to post it until I had some verification. Today's article and an interview on the KSTP outdoor radio show "Bear Facts and Fish Tales" confirmed what the content of the letter. Here it is:

"Commissioner Merriam,

After careful deliberation I've decided to resign my position on the Game and Fish fund oversight committee.

While special interest groups raid the fund for hundreds of thousands of dollars a year I do not feel comfortable looking over the shoulders of the dedicated DNR employees. I know you inherited this mess, and I think your doing the best job possible as Commissioner. I especially support your efforts in getting more Conservation Officers in the field and in trying to keep and recruit hunters and anglers. Year after year the DNR field programs, Conservation Officers and the Minn Aqua programs get cut while the fee avoidance by special interest groups goes up with inflation. Each of these special interest groups have excuses for not paying the cost of the services they are provided but I see this as welfare subsidies and should not come out of the Game and Fish fund. I've noticed that each of these groups can afford a lobbyist but say they can't afford to pay for the services provided by the DNR. The hunters and anglers don't have a lobbyist! We depend on the State employees to spend our hard earned money wisely and we depend on our elected employees to allocate those funds wisely. That is not happening as long as these welfare subsidies come out of the Game and Fish fund. Governor Pawlenty is the first governor in many years to say that the fees charged should cover the cost of the services provided. So with his support I hope this situation will change. But until it does I don't care to be involved in the oversight committee.

I apologize for resigning so publicly but I feel everyone listed has an interest in this issue.

Regards

Dave Overland"

This special interest feeding at the trough is done at the legislature --any and all correspondence which expresses frustration and anger with the parties would be most effectively addressed to your legislator.

[Guest]

This is Minnesota, The land where absolutly nothing is allowed!!!!!!!!Exept to pay taxes of course. It seems that with this state....,someone is allways going to have there hand out, and our ellected officials are always going to give it out. Dont meen to be negative, but it is the truth. This state acts just like my x-wife!!!!!!!!!! Have a nice day!

[Crawlerman]

Thats because everyone decided to vote Republican due to the "war on terror" (not me of course.. I voted for Penny, who was going to INCREASE funding for the DNR) The DNR's budget was one of the first things Pawlenty cut

[Guest]

Tackleman Hit it right on the head! The fees for killing weeds at peoples cabins remain low and not enough to cover the spending so CO's get laid off, law passes that the ones left can't do their job and our lisence prices go up to try and cover the screw up. Our money belongs in certain areas and not others. It is our job to try and make that happen.

[fubar]

I can’t believe that an increase of ten dollars is going to break any of the cabin owners in this state. Considering the price of lake lots around here you have to be in a certain pay scale to afford one. I’ve seen what a lot of owners do; they try to create golf greens out of their lawns. They tear out any vegetation in front of their lot for the huge swimming beach. Then when their little boy/girl asks daddy why they can’t catch fish off the dock, daddy blames the fishermen for over fishing the lake.

The reason they have a vegetation problem is the over use of fertilizers, trying to get that golf green look. My parents have owned a lake cabin for over 28 years. They have a beach on one half and wild vegetation on the other, separated by the dock. We have never had a problem fishing or boating. I guess a little concern and education for the wild life goes a long way.

Just my 2 - cents

[black max]

This is complete BULL****. I want every penny of my fishing and hunting licence and taxes collocted from related sales to go directly twords fishing and hunting. I hope the Gov. and the DNR reads this site also, because I am tired of my fees going to support some crap barely related to the outdoors at all, and everytime the subject of why isn't there more fish to catch and why cant we increase stocking afforts instead of restricting our fishing and hunting even more, the DNR claims they have no money!!! UNBELIEVABLE, where the hell is all my money going. I buy fishing, trout,deer,small game, pheasent, duck, and dark house lics. and whats all the money going for not anything listed above it sounds like. This is MN, we should be known for our great hunting&fishing, if anything they should be taking money from other funds to improve the outdoors even more NOT the other way around. QUIT SPENDING OUR MONEY ON NON-FISH AND GAME ISSUES,IS EVERYBODY WITH ME!!!

[Walleye_GFA]

Did not post this to start a flame war against the DNR, at least its a step in the right direction... Maybe we can all resolve to chat in the Politics forum and start an organized effort to petition for more of these positive changes...

added by edit: At least they are getting more money for these services... maybe petition for a new resolution that services for non fish and game cant use license money...

Walleye_GFA

[This message has been edited by Walleye_GFA (edited 04-21-2003).]

[Walleye_GFA]

But yes, I am with you !!!!!!!!!!!

Wally

[Guest]

Not sure that Pawlenty's cutting of the budget has anything to do with the issues brought out here. It is simple, these programs are subsidized by our fees, and not covered by the permit costs. 'Nuff said. It's not a Republican or Democratic issue, however, if you want to know, Pawlenty is at least raising the fees which will decrease the subsidy amount, which is more than our beloved Jesse did (and I voted for him.....). This issue is larger than Democrat vs Republican, it's that we as Anglers don't have a unified lobbying voice in the legislature. Mike

[Sturgeon46]

Crawlerman, you can't increase spending without raising taxes or cutting other programs. Tim Penny would have raised taxes across the board just like Roger Moe would have - I would have been the one paying for it (e-e-e-evil rich!!!)

Go Governor Pawlenty!!!!!

[Guest]

You guys should quit crying and do something, join the minnesota fish and game coalition, 10 dollars a year and a few letters to your members of the legislature and maybe things will change.....a little! And by the way, stocking is not the answer, we should cut every bag limit in half! Anglers are cathcing more fish, going on more trips, and there are more of us! There is no reason that we shouldnt lower the bag limits! More fish for us, in the future, and we could then manage the ecosystems that we have and provide habitat, rather than wasting money on dumping fish into a lake where they arent naturally......

[Guest]

I would say the bag limits are a little high as well. However, many of the lakes I fish around the state are producing some of the best netting surveys since 1990. I am in favor of reducing bag limits as well though.

[Aquaman01]

I think this thread should move over to Political Power.

We came together in January and cooked up a unified platform to send to Gene Merriem & Tim Pawlenty (never got a response, but we did it). We can do it again. I'm still a rabble-rousing loudmouth and I don't mind spending some keystrokes to help pull FM together for a unified cause.

Help us Spike-O-Wan Kenobi!

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Aquaman
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Peace and Fishes