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ODFW is currently facing a huge budgetary shortfall, and many members of the legislature are rejecting the request from ODFW that their support from the general fund be increased dramatically from its current measly 5% of the ODFW budget.
Because of this big $32 Million dollar shortfall, the legislature is proposing a 10% increase on all hunting and fishing fees. SB 247 is the bill that implements this increase.
Please tell your legislator to support SB 247, and raise our hunting and fishing fees. Without these increases, ODFW is saying that it will have to dramatically cut back on our fish hatcheries, and close a number of them, laying off the personnel that operate them.
As it is now, they are saying that their staff has been cut back so dramatically in recent years, that they cannot afford any further layoffs, without very negative consequences.
It appears that leadership in the House and Senate are both dead-set against giving ODFW any more general fund money. Just why this is, I honestly don't understand. The legislators always talk about supporting wildlife, yet they refuse to give more money to ODFW. In any event, it looks like this bill increasing our fees is our only hope to fend off new massive cutbacks at ODFW.
Here is a news story about this crisis:
http://registerguard.com/rg/news/lo...d-to-rescue-fish-and-wildlife-agency.html.csp
.
Because of this big $32 Million dollar shortfall, the legislature is proposing a 10% increase on all hunting and fishing fees. SB 247 is the bill that implements this increase.
Please tell your legislator to support SB 247, and raise our hunting and fishing fees. Without these increases, ODFW is saying that it will have to dramatically cut back on our fish hatcheries, and close a number of them, laying off the personnel that operate them.
As it is now, they are saying that their staff has been cut back so dramatically in recent years, that they cannot afford any further layoffs, without very negative consequences.
It appears that leadership in the House and Senate are both dead-set against giving ODFW any more general fund money. Just why this is, I honestly don't understand. The legislators always talk about supporting wildlife, yet they refuse to give more money to ODFW. In any event, it looks like this bill increasing our fees is our only hope to fend off new massive cutbacks at ODFW.
Here is a news story about this crisis:
http://registerguard.com/rg/news/lo...d-to-rescue-fish-and-wildlife-agency.html.csp
.