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Posts: 714
Location: Rhinelander, WI | The following is a piece of an email I received earlier this morning. I think this is a very important issue for sportsmen’s across Wisconsin even if you have never purchased one of the stamps listed. This is a very bad precedent for the legislature to set, and is basically stealing money that people have paid with the promise it was going to there preferred sport. Many people voted down the proposed Musky Stamp with this exact fear in mind.
Why should we give a darn, according to a Trout Unlimited member I know, the money in the Great Lakes Salmon and Trout stamp fund was being saved so they could do renovations at the Wild Rose hatchery. With that money gone those renovations are less likely to happen. Most of the Great Lakes Muskies that are being stocked as part of the Great Lakes Musky Restoration project are raised at the Wild Rose Hatchery. We are all connected to each other if we fish and hunt in this state. Please make a call to your local rep, or the one listed below if you fish and hunt in Wisconsin.
Thanks.
Nail A Pig!
Mike
"Last Wednesday, the Joint Finance Committee of the Wisconsin Legislature adopted a hunting and fishing license fee package. Unfortunately, as part of that package, they diverted $1.35 million dollars from the waterfowl stamp, the Great Lakes Salmon and Trout stamp and the turkey stamp accounts. By law, these funds are to be used for habitat improvement and stocking. This is the first time these funds have been diverted, and in addition to taking funds from important conservation programs, sets a terrible precedent for future budgets.
You can help turn this around. The Joint Finance Committee is working its way through the state budget, and can re-vote on this issue if there is sufficient outcry. As residents of Representative Dan Meyer's district, a quick call to his office by you and members of your group would make a difference. The message is simple: make sure the stamp funds go to the programs they were promised to. If you are a hunter or angler, include that in the message. A voicemail message or message left with an aid will be counted too.
Dan Meyer’s (he is the representative for most of North Eastern Musky Country) phone number in Madison is 608-266-7141.
I've also included a press release put out by the Wisconsin Wildlife Federation for additional background. Please give me a call or drop me an email if you have questions, and thanks for your attention."
http://www.thewheelerreport.com/releases/Apr05/Apr27/0427wildlifehu...
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Location: Athens, Ohio | We had something similar in Ohia. Sprotsmen from across the state responded to a story that the House was gonna raid the Wildlife fund to pay for non-related services, here's the result:
(Columbus) – The Ohio House of Representatives responded to sportsmen who rallied at the Statehouse today by amending the state budget to prevent a diversion of wildlife conservation funds to pay for other government programs.
The House voted 96 to 1 in favor of a budget amendment, proposed by Rep. Tony Core, R-Rushsylvania, that forbids tapping the Wildlife Fund for Central Support and other direct or indirect charges. Central Support refers to administrative fees that the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) charges to each of its divisions. The General Revenue Fund covers these costs for most other divisions within the department.
The amendment ensures that the Wildlife Fund, which is to be used for conservation programs and is funded by sportsmen’s license fees, will not be raided for $3.6 million in Central Support fees over the next two years.
“Our representatives listened to calls from sportsmen and took notice when they made personal visits to the Statehouse today to protect wildlife conservation,” said Tony Celebrezze, U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance director of state services. “Special thanks is due to Bowling Green Representative Bob Latta for his leadership on this issue. By protecting the integrity of the Wildlife Fund, sportsmen have protected a system that has produced prolific wildlife populations that provide recreational opportunities for millions of Ohioans."
The amendment also provides $250,000 from the General Revenue Fund for the DNR. The legislature would need to appropriate $1.8 million to fully fund Central Support.
“Sportsmen must now persuade their state senators to retain the House language that protects the Wildlife Fund and ask that Central Support be fully funded,” said Celebrezze. “Find your Senator by calling (800) 282-0253 and leave a message expressing your support for the amendment that protects conservation funding.”
The U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance protects the rights of hunters, anglers and trappers in the courts, legislatures, at the ballot, in Congress and through public education programs. For more information about the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance and its work, call (614) 888-4868 or visit its website, www.ussportsmen.org.
So, I guess they raided the tobacco settlement money, instead. vigilence is the price of democracy. m |
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Posts: 1245
Location: Madtown, WI | I got this last week and it took 5 minutes to call the three gov. officials. Take the time and make the calls!!!
Cory
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Location: Contrarian Island | I would think a laywer who might like musky fishing would jump at this ... |
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Posts: 1266
Location: Stevens Point, Wi. | Not only can our government spend money they don't have, now they can steal money that they have no right to use. If you are a Wi. sportsman, I urge you to call and make your displeasure known. It's not to late, the budget hasn't been approved yet. The co-chairmen of the joint finance committee are Rep. Dean Kaufert and Sen. scott Fitzgerald. Their phone #'s are (608) 266-5719 and 266-5660. Don't let this happen. In addition to the great lakes and turkey stamp fund they also hit the duck stamp fund. |
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