Olympia Considering End to Department of Fish & Wildlife!

[ZeroRing]

This just in....

Olympia Considering End to Department of Fish & Wildlife!
Hunters and Sportsmen MUST Contact their Legislators Immediately!

The Senate budget released this week would zero out the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife (WDFW) budget and transfer all WDFW functions to the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) in a merger of the two agencies. Further, it would reduce by $10.5 million the amount spent on the functions that have been handled by WDFW.

To those involved in the shooting sports, the net result of such a transfer of authority would likely be devastating. Gun owners and sportsmen have been fighting DNR for years with regard to shooting and hunting on DNR land. Leadership in DNR is, at best, indifferent to the interests of sportsmen and, more likely, hostile and antagonistic.

The majority of hunters and sportsmen in Washington State agreed last year to surcharges on their licenses to keep important WDFW functions in place. Every hunting (and fishing) program and every dedicated fund is at risk for reduction or termination. Sportsmen's support of the department could be wiped out if the Senate Budget is allowed to advance with the merger language in it.

It is critical that hunters and sportsmen contact the members of the Senate Ways & Means Committee immediately! Tell them to OPPOSE THE MERGER OF WDFW INTO DNR! Please leave messages for your Senator and Representatives, as well.

Following are the email addresses for the 22 members of the Senate Ways & Means Committee, including Senator Rodney Tom who is the author of the merger effort:

State Senator Margarita Prentice (Chair) - [email protected]

State Senator Karen Fraser (Vice-Chair, Capital Budget) - [email protected]

State Senator Rodney Tom (Vice Chair, Operating Budget) - [email protected]

State Senator Joseph Zarelli (Ranking Minority) - [email protected]

State Senator Dale Brandland - [email protected]

State Senator Mike Carrell - [email protected]

State Senator Darlene Fairley - [email protected]

State Senator Mike Hewitt - [email protected]

State Senator Steve Hobbs - [email protected]

State Senator Jim Honeyford - [email protected]

State Senator Karen Keiser - [email protected]

State Senator Adam Kline - [email protected]

State Senator Jeanne Kohl-Welles - [email protected]

State Senator Joe McDermott - [email protected]

State Senator Ed Murray - [email protected]

State Senator Eric Oemig - [email protected]

State Senator Linda Evans Parlette - [email protected]

State Senator Cheryl Pflug - [email protected]

State Senator Craig Pridemore - [email protected]

State Senator Debbie Regala - [email protected]

State Senator Phil Rockefeller - [email protected]

State Senator Mark Schoesler - [email protected]


Your Senator and his or her email address can be found here:

<broken link removed>

The toll-free Legislative Hotline number for those wanting to leave a phone message for their legislators is (800)562-6000.

Please call and email these legislators immediately! A Ways & Means vote on the Senate Budget with the merger language could occur as early as tomorrow morning.

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[smurf hunter]

This just in....

So there's no WA state bill or other legislation involved? If I understand this correctly, a budget committee could effectively end the existence of a public institution (WDFW).

I'm asking because I want to be explicit in my requests I make to state representatives. "Please continue to fund..." is a different request than "please don't merge two organizations"

 

[Jamie6.5]

If you want to know where this is headed and why,...

<broken link removed>

Under the guise of "diversifying funding" there is a push to remind all voters that they have ownership in wildlife, and as such, should pay more for it and have a greater say in how it gets "used" or "conserved."
You will not find the word "game" used anywhere in that commentary.

Stay vigilant!

 

[Dan-Dee Sales Inc]

If the sportsman do not purchase a license or tag, it will not matter. NO money to the Government. It is funny that our elected Officials cannot get it through their thick skull of how much money is generated by sportsman.

 

[timbernet]

If the sportsman do not purchase a license or tag, it will not matter. NO money to the Government. It is funny that our elected Officials cannot get it through their thick skull of how much money is generated by sportsman.

I don't know about WA, but in OR isn't there a tax on ammo that goes to the ODFW? I would love to know how much revenue that has generated for the state since November 2008...

 

[PhysicsGuy]

I don't know about WA, but in OR isn't there a tax on ammo that goes to the ODFW? I would love to know how much revenue that has generated for the state since November 2008...

I don't know if Oregon has its own tax on ammo, but the federal excise tax created by the wildlife restoration act is appropriated to states for wildlife restoration and conservation depending on size and number of licensed hunters.

Also in Oregon, and probably all other states, most money for conservation efforts come directly from hunters and anglers, with the majority of the rest of it (in Oregon), coming from federal and lottery funding.

 

[pokerace]

I don't beleave ore.has a tax on ammo and they better not try to start one.

 

[rpatton]

If you want to know where this is headed and why,...

<broken link removed>

Under the guise of "diversifying funding" there is a push to remind all voters that they have ownership in wildlife, and as such, should pay more for it and have a greater say in how it gets "used" or "conserved."
You will not find the word "game" used anywhere in that commentary.

Stay vigilant!

Actually, "game" was in there one time. The real trick would be figuring out how Washington State Ferries did it...everyone in the state pays taxes to subsidize the ferries but the greatest number of users are in Puget Sound area. It's not like someone in Ephrata or points east have a say in how the ferries are run but I did find out that when i was paying $6.25 to ride, it could have cost me $30+ without the subsidy and it's not like the people in Ephrata and points east don't benefit from the economic stimulus that the ferry system provides.

I've known for years that I don't personally own wildlife and that conservation benefits all. I wouldn't mind cheaper licenses and tags because the other people who get something out of it are helping to pay. I think the inoccuous tax is the way to go though back to the original post I don't think that a merger is the best way to go.

On a sad note, it kind of sucks to find out that WA state constitution does not seem to guarantee the right to hunt and fish and harvest game like Virginia (at least I didn't spot it when I looked...maybe someone with a sharper eye for those things?)

 

[timbernet]

I don't know if Oregon has its own tax on ammo, but the federal excise tax created by the wildlife restoration act is appropriated to states for wildlife restoration and conservation depending on size and number of licensed hunters

Ahh, that is what I was thinking of. My bad... Looked up the rate online, 10% for Pistols and Revolvers, 11% for other firearms and ammo

<broken link removed>

So now the question is... how much did the Feds raise from that since November 2008?

 

[PhysicsGuy]

So now the question is... how much did the Feds raise from that since November 2008?

Answer: 11&#37; of a lot

 

[SquatchWorks]

Washington is a dissapointment....


With all the fishing and hunting you'd think there would be less 'LEFT'

 

[PMKN_PI]

If I was an avid hunter and the hunting and fishing lands were handed over to a bunch of commie bolshivik pigs, I would just become a justified poacher. There is coming a time when the .gov is going to have to be spat on, ignored, and at worst, fought.