By John Merwin

We ran a post yesterday under Field Notes about how California's governor wants to tap into state fish-and- wildlife funds to rescue his general-fund budget. This is going to be coming up more often as state budgets feel the squeeze of a tight economy.

For both sportsmen and fish-and-wildlife agencies, though, there might be some hope. Back in 2003 when Mitt Romney was still governor of Massachusetts, he tried to tap that state's fish-and-wildlife fund to help cure a general statewide deficit. Fortunately for anglers and hunters, he ran head-on into the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), who said that kind of monetary diversion is a no-no, at least not if Massachusetts wanted to retain some $4 million in annual federal wildlife aid. As reported at the time by the Boston Globe, Romney quickly back-pedaled, and the state legislature nixed the planned raid on fish-and- wildlife monies.

State wildlife agencies get millions of dollars every year through excise taxes paid by sportsmen on hunting and fishing gear along with boating fuel. The program is administered by USFWS, which doles out money to the states as matching grants that are linked in part to fishing and hunting license sales. If that license revenue is diverted somehow from fish and wildlife, then the corresponding federal aid is apparently not payable and would instead be apportioned the other states.

Various state governors and legislators who try reaching into the fish-and-wildlife cookie jar this year may thus wind up getting their fingers burned as Romney did. At least I very much hope

Comments (5)

from Scott in Ohio wrote 3 years 17 weeks ago

John,

I read about this issue on another conservation-related e-mail I receive and am thrilled to learn that the Feds place some type of control on this. I count on my license dollars to support the resource. ESPECIALLY since we will now have to pay the new saltwater license fees.

No taxation with out representation, right?!

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from Dr. Ralph wrote 3 years 17 weeks ago

Amen. In Nashville the water bills seem to support our pro football team. The legislature found all this money in the public works dept. and diverted it. You don't see the game, but your water bill is now $120. I moved out of the county and with five people in my house my last water bill was nineteen dollars... this type of diversionary tactic is becoming all too frequent.

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from Jim in Mo wrote 3 years 17 weeks ago

Fortunately in my state politicians have no control over our fish&game department. Not the governor or congress can fiddle with our money nor regulate game seasons or species. As an example, if people in states like NJ could wrestle away political control, game depts. could proceed to do things correctly.

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from Mike Diehl wrote 3 years 17 weeks ago

It is good to know that USFWS can sanction states that raid their wildlife agencies for funds. With any luck we can get them to keep an eye on the AZ legislature this year. Urban Phoenix has the majority representation in the legislature, and as a consequence they regularly raid agencies that primarily serve rural interests.

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from Charley wrote 3 years 17 weeks ago

Keep tour hands off the excise tax money. The excise tax on fishing related gear goes directly to supporting fishing conservation. It is the only tax in the US that does this. Gasoline tax does not go to protect oil wells, etc.
Please leave the fishing money alone. We pay the tax to continue to fish.

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from Scott in Ohio wrote 3 years 17 weeks ago

John,

I read about this issue on another conservation-related e-mail I receive and am thrilled to learn that the Feds place some type of control on this. I count on my license dollars to support the resource. ESPECIALLY since we will now have to pay the new saltwater license fees.

No taxation with out representation, right?!

+2 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from Dr. Ralph wrote 3 years 17 weeks ago

Amen. In Nashville the water bills seem to support our pro football team. The legislature found all this money in the public works dept. and diverted it. You don't see the game, but your water bill is now $120. I moved out of the county and with five people in my house my last water bill was nineteen dollars... this type of diversionary tactic is becoming all too frequent.

+2 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from Jim in Mo wrote 3 years 17 weeks ago

Fortunately in my state politicians have no control over our fish&game department. Not the governor or congress can fiddle with our money nor regulate game seasons or species. As an example, if people in states like NJ could wrestle away political control, game depts. could proceed to do things correctly.

+2 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from Mike Diehl wrote 3 years 17 weeks ago

It is good to know that USFWS can sanction states that raid their wildlife agencies for funds. With any luck we can get them to keep an eye on the AZ legislature this year. Urban Phoenix has the majority representation in the legislature, and as a consequence they regularly raid agencies that primarily serve rural interests.

+2 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from Charley wrote 3 years 17 weeks ago

Keep tour hands off the excise tax money. The excise tax on fishing related gear goes directly to supporting fishing conservation. It is the only tax in the US that does this. Gasoline tax does not go to protect oil wells, etc.
Please leave the fishing money alone. We pay the tax to continue to fish.

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

Post a Comment

 

All submitted comments are subject to the rules set forth in our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.