License Fee Information Meeting

[Ross Pearson]

License Fee Information Meeting

An informational meeting focused on the proposed license structure revision and long-term funding for the Division of Fish and Wildlife will be hosted by the McCabe Chapter of the Izaak Walton League. Following a brief overview, DNR representatives from Wildlife, Fisheries and Enforcement will give short presentations on local concerns and answer questions. The consequences that may occur if funding remains at the current level will be presented.

The meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, April 6th, 2011 from 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM at the Hartley Nature Center in Duluth. The Hartley Nature is located at: 3001 Woodland Ave., Duluth, MN.

All interested citizens are invited to attend. If you have questions contact either Deserae Hendrickson or Don Schreiner at 218-0525-0853(Duluth Area Fisheries or Lake Superior Area Fisheries).

[Down Deep]

I read a blog post written by the Minneapolis STRIBS outdoor writer which reported that this fee increase is pretty much dead on arrival in the Legislature. The Republicans are calling it a tax increase and that is a no no.

Not one person I have talked to is against it. Personally I'm not. Any other comments one way or the other?

[Great Outdoors]

There may be things in the bill that are not good, so wait and see if it gets voted down, and why!

I know there were certain things proposed by a committee that would change the way licenses were issued, and license issuing fees were eliminated for license dealers.

That would make a mess.

[Ross Pearson]

From Outdoor News

Posted: Thursday, March 24, 2011 12:00 pm

MN: DNR still pushing license fee hike By Joe Albert Associate Editor | 0 comments

St. Paul - Even as lawmakers unveil environment and natural resources budget bills that do not include increases to fishing and hunting license fees, supporters aren't giving up.

Gov. Mark Dayton and the DNR have proposed raising fishing and hunting license fees, and creating new licenses to give buyers more flexibility. They say it's necessary to prevent the state Game and Fish Fund from going into the red.

The agency has been working to inform sportsmen about the proposal, and is trying to build support for it.

"We're still hopeful we'll still see something happen around this later on this session," said Dave Schad, the DNR's deputy commissioner.

Under the proposal, there would be license fee increases - annual resident license fee increases would go from $17 to $24, for example - and new licenses - a 90-day resident fishing license, for example, that would cost $18.

So far, the Republicans who are in charge of the House and Senate have been resistant to the idea of fee increases.

"All of our member groups realize that it has to be done - 11 years is just too long without an increase," said Don McMillan, president of the Minnesota Outdoor Heritage Alliance.

Neither Republicans nor Dayton will get everything they want, said Rep. Denny McNamara, R-Hastings, chair of the House Environment, Energy and Natural Resources Policy and Finance Committee.

"We will be seeing how strongly the governor's office feels about those increases as the process goes forward, realizing that, long-term, the fund is on a path that is not sustainable," he said.

Indeed, based on current levels of expenditures and revenues, the Game and Fish Fund would go into the red in July 2014. More than half of the money that goes into the fund comes from the sales of fishing and hunting licenses and stamps. More than 90 percent of the budgets of the DNR Fisheries and Wildlife sections come from the Game and Fish Fund. More than 60 percent of the Enforcement budget comes from the fund.

While "eventually these fees are going to have to be increased," some lawmakers have signaled a willingness to consider looking at some increases this year, McMillan said.

He's found some support for increasing nonresident license fees this year, then looking next year at the remainder of the proposal.

McMillan hopes that in the future, license fees can be looked at every three to five years, rather than letting a decade or more pass between increases.

"I think it's a bad idea to let fees go that long," he said. "Then you're going to be faced with (large increases)."

[opsirc]

how about the state take some of the monies from all the lotteries and use that to fund the DNR.

[Ross Pearson]

Lottery money is already being used to fund the DNR.

From:http://files.dnr.state.mn.us/aboutdnr/budget/bottom_line/budget.pdf

Game and Fish Fund Revenue Sources:

Hunting licenses and stamps - 27%

Fishing licenses - 22%

Federal Grant Fisheries (D-J) - 16%

Lottery Sales Taxes - 12%

Federal Grant Wildlife (P-R) - 11%

Sports Licenses - 6%

Other - 6%

[Jarrid Houston]

Ya haven't you seen the commercials like the one where the guy is walking through the woods and stumbles upon a huge bear., and then the bear comes up and gives the guy s huge hug.....I believe it was a lottery commerercial stating that so much money goes to the outdoors...

[Down Deep]

Rather than looking for funding from other sources like the Lottery I would perfer raising money from a designated source like license fees. That way it is almost impossible for the legislature to make any kind of political case to remove funding raised by the participants and apply it to another cause.

[Ross Pearson]

I attended this meeting tonight where cuts that have already be implemented for MN DNR Fisheries, Wildlife, and Enforcement were presented as a result of shrinking revenue for the Game and Fish Fund. Likely future program cuts were also presented. Without a license fee increase local hunting and fishing opportunities will diminish. The Republican Natural Resource Chairs of the MN House and Senate don't appear to be even bringing the license fee increase proposal to their commitees for consideration. Concerned hunters and fishermen can contact them at: "bill ingebrigtsen" <[email protected]>, "denny mcnamara" <[email protected]>. Let them know you support the proposal in order to keep the opportunities you presently enjoy. Ross Pearson-Kamloops Advocates.

[reinhard1]

thanks, Ross!! your one guy walking the walk and not just talking the talk. i will let my feelings known on this issue again today. i have already contacted my rep. we need to have a license fee increase as i have stated many times. good luck.

[Northlander]

Im for a license fee increase only if the money generated goes directly to the DNR and not some "general" fund.

[spivak]

Thanks Ross, I just sent an email to each of these men urging them to support higher license fees.

[Jarrid Houston]

Thanks for speaking for the people Ross....

[shogun]

they need to increase the non-resident license fees more. a $2 increase for non-residents is ridiculous.

[Ross Pearson]

Last year there was local support from Arrowhead Flyfishers, WLSTA, and LSSA for a license fee increase to keep Kamloops production at the French River Hatchery. Recently, in a letter to Kurt Zellers , Mn House Speaker; Sen.Amy Koch, Senate Majority Leader; and environmental chairs, Sen. Bill Ingebrigtsen and Rep. Dennis McNamara, more than 30 state conservation groups were united in support of the DNR’s license fee increase proposal. The letter stated “Without adequate funding core fisheries, wildlife, and enforcement work will go undone, and hunting and angling are likely to decline in quality. … Please stand up for the interests of our members by supporting this carefully conceived restructuring of Minnesota’s hunting and fishing license options and fees. We can’t afford to wait.” The full commentary can be read in Outdoor News-April 8, 2011.

[Steve Foss]

Im for a license fee increase only if the money generated goes directly to the DNR and not some "general" fund.

What he said.

[goblueM]

correct me if I am wrong - but aren't hunting and fishing licenses dedicated money and not general fund?

[spivak]

You are correct. Any license fee increase (and all license fees) go directly to the DNR.

[Northlander]

That may be correct Im not 100% sure though. I just cant believe that when a DNR Officer writes someone a ticket that $ goes into some general fund and not back to the DNR so we can keep these DNR officers out there doing their jobs.

Money from Trout stamps for Lake Superior should stay on Lake Superior and so on. The system needs a over haul.

[goblueM]

i guess my point was that license fee increases DO go directly to the game and fish (dedicated) fund and do not go into the general fund

they depend on license fees for the majority of their budget

[Northlander]

Ya I get ya on that one.

[spivak]

This is from the DNR's website:

Your Game & Fish Fund:

When you purchase a hunting or fishing license, your dollars flow into the DNR’s Game and Fish Fund. These dollars are kept separate from other agency funds; they can be used only for fish, wildlife, law enforcement and certain other related activities. This fund pays for salaries, trucks, gas, office space, nets, and other operational costs

[walleyehunter80]

Oh yeah, dont forget that these crooked st. paul office worker higher ups spend our license fees on internet, computers, pens, paper, printers,highend motel rooms and plane fuel for pointless meetings ect., ect., ect., that dont even pertain to fish, wildlife or our natural resources.

Get this, in order to fish lake superior north you need a fishing license and trout stamp.........................but they dont stock trout north of silver bay!?!?!?! they use the money from trout stamps purchased from grand marais fisherman to stock duluth area waters!!!! How do you like those apples?????

[walleyehunter80]

And Its not like we all dont already know this, but the Minnesota DNR wastes more money on stupid stuff than what actually gets spent on the fish, wildlife and natural resources. They need to tighten up their belt and correct their spending.

oh by the way......................I am for raising the license fees they do need more money!

[Ross Pearson]

Published April 17, 2011, 12:06 AM

Minnesota DNR to hunters, anglers: 'We need more money'

At a recent meeting of the Izaak Walton League in Duluth, Department of Natural Resources employees stood before a room full of hunters and anglers with a simple message: We need more money.

By: Sam Cook, Duluth News Tribune

At a recent meeting of the Izaak Walton League in Duluth, Department of Natural Resources employees stood before a room full of hunters and anglers with a simple message: We need more money.

Local fisheries supervisors Deserae Hendrickson and Don Schreiner were there. So was Rich Staffon, DNR area wildlife manager at Cloquet. DNR district enforcement supervisor Todd Manley spoke as well.

They would rather have been managing habitat or snaring poachers. But they were stumping for increased license fees, a provision that’s part of Gov. Dayton’s budget proposal.

The proposed increases are widely supported by angling and hunting groups statewide.

“I think anglers and sportsmen in Minnesota have always paid their way, and I think there’s strong support for the Game and Fish Fund,” said Vern Wagner of Anglers for Habitat, a coalition of angling and conservation groups based in St. Louis Park, Minn.

But the increases would require approval by the Legislature, and, to date, key legislators have not indicated an interest in raising fees.

Already, DNR officials say, tight budgets are forcing cutbacks.

“We’ve been trying to do more with less,” Staffon told the Izaak Walton League gathering. “But what we find out is you do less with less.”

Statewide, the DNR has about 100 unfilled positions from a staff of about 600. The Enforcement Division is down about 20 positions.

In Northeastern Minnesota, the fisheries staff is down 20 to 30 percent, Schreiner said. Wildlife manager positions in the northeast have dropped from eight to five, Staffon said, and wildlife technician positions from eight to four. About two-thirds of coldwater trout production at the French River Coldwater Hatchery has been shifted to the Spire Valley Hatchery near Remer to save money.

At risk, without more money, are activities such as lake and stream surveys, fish trap operations on the Knife and French Rivers, maintenance of Wildlife Management Areas, brushland and wetland habitat work and more, DNR officials said.

“It’s really starting to show,” said Wagner, with Anglers for Habitat. “We’re not getting the lake surveys. We’re having a decrease in conservation officers. We’re seeing fewer and fewer boots on the ground, and we’re dealing with problems like aquatic invasive species — zebra mussels and VHS (viral hemorrhagic septicemia).”

Outside help

The DNR hired a consulting firm to explore the license fee issue. As a result, the agency is recommending several new kinds of licenses along with license fee increases. Under the proposal, a resident fishing license would go from $17 to $24. A resident small game license would go from $19 to $22, and a resident deer license would go from $26 to $30.

Increases for nonresident licenses are generally smaller than for resident licenses.

New fishing licenses would include a reduced-price ($12) resident fishing license for 16- and 17-year-olds, a 90-day resident fishing license, a three-day resident angling license (no trout stamp required) and a three-year resident fishing license.

New hunting licenses would include a three-day small-game license (no stamps required) for $19 and a small game license with all stamps included for $37.

Minnesota is well below average among all states in the amount it charges hunters and anglers. Its $17 resident fishing license ranks 36th among all states, and its $26 deer license is below the $33 mean of surrounding and nearby states.

Fishing and hunting contribute $3.6 billion to the state’s economy and directly provide about 55,000 jobs, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Legislative opposition

But getting a fee increase through the Legislature, especially this year, may be difficult.

“What we’re running into, of course, is a sense from the Legislature that they don’t want to see any new fees or taxes,” Wagner said. “They’re trying to apply this to all places and all things.”

The environment bill passed recently by the House of Representatives included no provisions for license fee increases.

“I have an open mind on this issue as we move forward,” said Rep. Denny McNamara, R-Hastings, who is chair of the House Environment, Energy and Natural Resources Policy and Finance Committee. “We’ll see how this session goes. At this point in time, I don’t think they (fee increases) are necessary. If the governor shows us that this is the right thing to do, we’ll take a look at that proposal at the correct time.”

Mark Johnson, executive director of the Minnesota Deer Hunters Association, thinks now is the time.

“Number one, the funding is needed, whether now or later,” Johnson said. “If you wait until later, it’s just a bigger hole to dig out of. Although it’s never a good time to add on fees, the general public is saying, ‘Now’s the time,’ so why not?”

[danfall]

The facts are clear and simple. The Republican agenda is to do anything possible to shrink government without regard for Keynsian realities, i.e. stocking of fish. In the past, the Republican response to this has been fish stocking must remain at current levels with no change to DNR headcount or funding; which means the same work; same number of people; no COLA, etc. Of course, the wage increases happen just like pvt sector does and so the budget goes red.

Bottom line. You can't be for stocking (means you want government) and against funding it through fees or taxes. If they won't hear of an increase; vote out the majority. Simple.

[danfall]

So buying a pencil is wasteful spending? If they stocked fish at GM, you'd probably complain they were stocking for Canada.

[shogun]

Increases for nonresident licenses are generally smaller than for resident licenses.

why is this?

[Ross Pearson]

With regard to the license fee increase for nonresidents being smaller than residents or other license fee proposal questions, Jason Moeckel, DNR fisheries operations manager, can provide answers for questions. [email protected] 651/259-5240

[shogun]

thanks for the info.