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Keep Increased Taxes Off Georgia Sportsmen
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Unless hunters, fishermen, and boaters speak up quickly and loudly, we are about to pay the largest license fee increase in history.
This will happen without having any of the increase come back to state wildlife, fisheries, or boating programs. However, the Camo Coalition, along with more than thirty other conservation groups including American River Fishing, Atlanta Audubon, Atlanta Chapter of Quail Unlimited, Atlanta Chapter Safari Club International, Bear Creek Hounds, Coastal Conservation Association of Georgia, Farmers & Hunters Feeding the Hungry, Georgia Bass Chapter Federation, Georgia Canine Coalition, Inc., Georgia Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation, Georgia Chapter of the Wildlife Society, Georgia Conservation Voters, Georgia Council of Trout Unlimited, Georgia Hunting and Fishing Federation, Georgia River Fishing, Georgia Chapter Safari Club International, Georgia Turn In Poachers, Georgia Trappers Association, Georgia Wildlife Federation, Heritage and Wildlife Conservation Council, Izaak Walton League of America Greater Atlanta Chapter, National Muzzleloader Rifle Association, National Wildlife Federation, North Georgia Chapter Safari Club International, ONeill Williams, ONTELCOM, INC: ONeill Outside Radio & Television, National Quail Unlimited, Quality Deer Management Association, Ruffed Grouse Society, Satilla Riverkeeper, The Nature Conservancy, is trying to get the State Legislature to prevent this HIDDEN TAX INCREASE. In a recent letter sent to all members of the House and Senate Appropriations Committees, the sportsmen coalition asked for more funding to upgrade the state hunting and fishing licensing sales system and boat registration process, and for funds to support other wildlife programs within the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR). But, we need your help to make a difference!
Here is the problem. DNRs current hunting and fishing licensing and boat registration systems are now using outdated computer technology that cannot continue to function beyond 2008. It has to be upgraded, but the DNR has not been able to get money put into their budget to replace the old system. Now, with time running out, the state administrative bureaucracy has decided to contract out license sales and boat registration to a partnership of three private companies. DNR will not operate the new system, nor ever own any of the computer equipment or software. So you get to pay these fees forever, but none of this money ever reaches DNR to set up its own system or to manage wildlife.
Some of you may think that private companies can do it better and cheaper than the government. Better may be a possibility, but it is certainly NOT CHEAPER, and that is the problem! These companies are going to charge you $3.3 million per year to buy a license or register your boat. In comparison, it now cost the DNR about $900,000 to operate their licensing office. The private companies are going to charge you an add-on fee of $2.75-$4.00 to buy a license by Internet or telephone and $8.00 -$10.00 additional to register a boat. Walk-in license purchases will only be possible at larger retail stores such as Wal-Mart and K-Mart and most small town bait and tackle shops will be unable to sell hunting and fishing licenses under the new system. Where will you get your license next year?
Georgia has 971,000 fishermen, 344,000 hunters, 350,000 boaters and 1,100 private license dealers who will be affected by changes in the state licensing process. License and boat registration fees generate about $21 million in state revenue each year. Unless the General Assembly provides funding in the FY 2009 state budget, hunters, anglers, and boaters are going to pay the total cost to implement a new and expensive licensing system. However, no new monies will come to the state or to WRD for improving conservation programs, or for implementing a state owned licensing system at a lower cost. Most of us dont mind paying reasonable licensing fees but expect those to be used to benefit wildlife conservation and boating programs. We should not pay $3.3 million in NEW TAXES to fund an expensive private licensing system that the state will never own!
The letter from the conservation organizations also pointed out to the House and Senate Appropriations Committees that our license fees have provided many millions of dollars to pay off state bonds issued in 1988 and 1989 to buy over 60,000 acres of conservation lands. Those bonds have been paid off and this money still flows to the state treasury. Even with Georgia sportsmen paying a large portion of our program costs, there remains a significant need to improve funding of wildlife, fisheries, and boating programs. We think it is only fair that these monies and additional general appropriations be used to offset the impacts of the license system changes on individual sportsmen and to fund other needs of our great wildlife management program in Georgia. The letter to the Appropriations Committees spelled out the following budget needs that have been validated by Camo Coalition managers:
1) Hunting-Fishing-Boating License and Registration System:
The existing obsolete license system needs to be upgraded to meet access needs by hunters, anglers, and boaters. In order to provide sportsmen traditional, affordable purchase points without an additional tax burden, we request either $8 million to upgrade the state-owned system, keeping sportsmens dollars in Georgia, or $3.3 million annually to offset the surcharge-tax on sportsmen.
2) Vehicle Requirements:
The Wildlife Resources Division (WRD) vehicle fleet has aged to the point of diminished efficiency and excessive maintenance cost. Almost half of these vehicles are 6 years old or older and have over 135,000 miles on their odometers. Many of these miles are with loads over rough roads. It is not good business to continue to operate high mileage, overworked vehicles because maintenance costs are soaring. We are requesting a 5 year transition to a fleet in which one out of six vehicles is replaced every 6 years, which requires replacing 90 vehicles at a cost of $1,800,000.
3) Operational Costs:
Operational costs have continued to climb in WRD but no new funds have been appropriated. Fuel costs have increased significantly along with increased maintenance on vehicles; as a result, the conservation work of field staff has been reduced because they dont have funding to operate vehicles and boats. General operating costs in all areas have increased. We are requesting $1,750,000 in operation funds so the staff can provide the services that sportsmen and the general public expect.
4) Recruitment and Retention:
Recruiting and retaining highly qualified wildlife professionals is critical to the sportsmen of Georgia. WRD is experiencing high turnover of conservation rangers and biologists. Recruitment of key positions such as regional supervisors is poor with minimal candidate pools that sometimes come from out of state. Many of our state biologists are leaving before they move into leadership positions. We request pay raises for these job classes to include a career ladder for those professionals who are drawn to a career in the field as opposed to administration. We are requesting an addition to the WRD budget of $1,300,000 to improve recruitment and retention.
Please contact your state senator and representative immediately and ask them to provide additional funding during this legislative budget process to offset the cost of the new licensing system, and to use our license fees and additional general appropriations to increase funding for other WRD programs as well. Otherwise, get ready to pay to a company located in Missouri to buy a Georgia license or register a Georgia boat.
Your message will be sent to each of the following targets:
Your State Representative
Your State Senator
A sample message appears below, which you may edit before sending.
Sportsmen to PAY MORE for LESS....less access, programs, service.....
Dear Representative,
I am a concerned conservationist and one of your constituents. Please allow me to express my dissatisfaction with the lack of funding of important conservation programs within the Department of Natural Resources (DNR). The DNR is about to implement a much-needed new hunting, fishing and boating licensing system that will be developed under contract with a group of private contractors. However, the state contract allows the contractors to collect a large fee for each license transaction or boat registration ($2.75- $10.00 per transaction). The total cost is estimated at $3.3 million per year, and that total cost is being passed on to hunters, anglers, and boaters without any public discussion, debate, or investment of sportsmen dollars in our wildlife programs. In addition, many small town license dealers in your district will not be able to sell hunting and fishing licenses to their customers. The annual cost of the new privately owned system will be over three times what DNR spends operating its current licensing system. I view this as a hidden tax increase.
This is simply not fair treatment of Georgias 971,000 fishermen, 344,000 hunters, and 350,000 boaters. Our license fees have provided many millions of dollars to pay off state bonds issued in 1988 and 1989 to buy over 60,000 acres of conservation lands. Those bonds have been paid off and this money still flows to the state treasury. Even with Georgia sportsmen paying a large portion of our program costs, there remains a significant need to improve funding of wildlife, fisheries, and boating programs. We think it is only fair that these monies and additional general appropriations be used to offset the impacts of the license system changes on individual sportsmen and to fund other needs of our great wildlife management program in Georgia.
A detailed list of needs has been given to the House and Senate Appropriations Committees by a coalition of sportsmens groups, including American River Fishing, Atlanta Audubon, Atlanta Chapter of Quail Unlimited, Atlanta Chapter Safari Club International, Bear Creek Hounds, Coastal Conservation Association of Georgia, Farmers & Hunters Feeding the Hungry, Georgia Bass Chapter Federation, Georgia Canine Coalition, Inc., Georgia Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation, Georgia Chapter of the Wildlife Society, Georgia Conservation Voters, Georgia Council of Trout Unlimited, Georgia Hunting and Fishing Federation, Georgia River Fishing, Georgia Chapter Safari Club International, Georgia Turn In Poachers, Georgia Trappers Association, Georgia Wildlife Federation, Heritage and Wildlife Conservation Council, Izaak Walton League of America Greater Atlanta Chapter, National Muzzleloader Rifle Association, National Wildlife Federation, North Georgia Chapter Safari Club International, ONeill Williams, ONTELCOM, INC: ONeill Outside Radio & Television, National Quail Unlimited, Quality Deer Management Association, Ruffed Grouse Society, Satilla Riverkeeper, The Nature Conservancy.
Please use your influence to see that the needs listed below are addressed in the FY 2009 budget:
1) Hunting-Fishing-Boating License and Registration System:
The existing obsolete license system needs to be upgraded to meet access needs by hunters, anglers, and boaters. In order to provide sportsmen traditional, affordable purchase points without an additional tax burden, we request either $8 million to upgrade the state-owned system, keeping sportsmens dollars in Georgia, or $3.3 million annually to offset the surcharge-tax on sportsmen.
2) Vehicle Requirements:
The Wildlife Resources Division (WRD) vehicle fleet has aged to the point of diminished efficiency and excessive maintenance cost. Almost half of these vehicles are 6 years old or older and have over 135,000 miles on their odometers. Many of these miles are with loads over rough roads. It is not good business to continue to operate high mileage, overworked vehicles because maintenance costs are soaring. We are requesting a 5 year transition to a fleet in which one out of six vehicles is replaced every 6 years, which requires replacing 90 vehicles at a cost of $1,800,000.
3) Operational Costs:
Operational costs have continued to climb in WRD but no new funds have been appropriated. Fuel costs have increased significantly along with increased maintenance on vehicles; as a result, the conservation work of field staff has been reduced because they dont have funding to operate vehicles and boats. General operating costs in all areas have increased. We are requesting $1,750,000 in operation funds so the staff can provide the services that sportsmen and the general public expect.
4) Recruitment and Retention:
Recruiting and retaining highly qualified wildlife professionals is critical to the sportsmen of Georgia. WRD is experiencing high turnover of conservation rangers and biologists. Recruitment of key positions such as regional supervisors is poor with minimal candidate pools that sometimes come from out of state. Many of our state biologists are leaving before they move into leadership positions. We request pay raises for these job classes to include a career ladder for those professionals who are drawn to a career in the field as opposed to administration. We are requesting an addition to the WRD budget of $1,300,000 to improve recruitment and retention.
Hunters, fishermen, and boaters need your help to be sure that we receive equitable treatment in the legislative budget process and that our license fees are used to improve wildlife, fisheries and boating programs, not to pay private vendors an excessive fee to perform a required state function.
Thank you in advance for your help with this important matter.
Respectfully, Your name and address here
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This Action Alert Campaign is Closed.
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