Steve Z
02-16-2009, 02:18 PM
Aside from license fee increases and changes to the beneficiaries of fees relating to boating, there isn't anything in here that is that bad for hunters or fishermen, really.
They aren't closing the hatcheries or eliminating stocking in any way shape or form.
Hunters fees and fishing fees will not be diverted away from fishing related project. In reality, this bill alters the balance for who funds the DEP. Lots of things fund the General Fund. Now even more things are funding the general fund. Only time will tell if cuts from things that go directly to DEP will be larger than the increased revenue the DEP gets from more expensive fishing licenses.
However there is one word that needs to be added to this bill. If you are going to email your state rep, read the end of this post where I put things in blue. They need to add the word "SPORTFISHERMEN."
Boating License fees will be diverted to the General Fund instead of the Conservation Fund for one year.
Boater Safety Course Fees will go from the Boating Fund to the General Fund.
Boating Registration fees will go from the Boating Fund to the General Fund.
Marine Dealers or Manufacturers fees will go from Conservation Fund to General Fund.
Fees and penalties relating to polluters such as factories, commercial businesses, pesticide dealers, etc. They all have fines and fees to pay, they are being diverted from the Environmental Quality Fund to the General Fund.
A "Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fee" of $35 which is not new, that you have to pay when registering a vehicle is being diverted from the Clean Air Act account to the General Fund.
Of the above changes, the funds will be used to fund the agencies which generated to them as follows:
40% for the DMV
60% for the DEP
In other words, instead of putting the money into that numerous agencies can draw from, they are going into the general fund and only they can draw from the amount that they deposited into it. However, the Legislative Branch has control over the fund so Rell could deny some of the funding.
Fees from commercial shellfishing is going to the general fund.
Money resulting in the leasing, rental, sale, or depletion of publicly owned land or resources over $6,000 is being diverted FROM THE GENERAL FUND, TO the Conservation Fund.
People over 65 who could formerly get a free lifetime firearm/hunting/fishing license must now renew it annually for a fee of $1 for each renewal.
Public Hearing is scheduled on Wednesday at the Capital.
The authors of the bill are Rep. Cafero and Sen. McKinney. Both Republicans. Neffaro is the Minority Leader of the House.
The only huge potential problem with this bill is the last paragraph.
Sec. 95. Section 26-15 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage):
The state of Connecticut assents to the provisions of the Act of Congress entitled "An Act to Provide that the United States Shall Aid the States in Wildlife Restoration Projects, and for Other Purposes", approved September 2, 1937, and the Commissioner of Environmental Protection is authorized and directed to perform such acts as may be necessary to the establishment and operation of cooperative wildlife restoration projects, as defined in said act of congress, in compliance with said act and with rules and regulations promulgated by the Secretary of the Interior thereunder, and no funds accruing to the state from license fees paid by hunters shall be diverted for any other purpose than the protection, propagation, preservation and investigation of fish and game and administration of the functions of the department relating thereto.
The blue underlined part is being added, the black is the existed text of the statute.
The blue SHOULD read....
and no funds accruing to the state from license fees paid by hunters AND SPORTFISHERMAN shall be diverted for any other purpose than the protection, propagation, preservation and investigation of fish and game and administration of the functions of the department relating thereto.
Figure out who your state rep is, and email them about that last line. I think they might include sportfishermen when it says hunters, but it really should say both.
They aren't closing the hatcheries or eliminating stocking in any way shape or form.
Hunters fees and fishing fees will not be diverted away from fishing related project. In reality, this bill alters the balance for who funds the DEP. Lots of things fund the General Fund. Now even more things are funding the general fund. Only time will tell if cuts from things that go directly to DEP will be larger than the increased revenue the DEP gets from more expensive fishing licenses.
However there is one word that needs to be added to this bill. If you are going to email your state rep, read the end of this post where I put things in blue. They need to add the word "SPORTFISHERMEN."
Boating License fees will be diverted to the General Fund instead of the Conservation Fund for one year.
Boater Safety Course Fees will go from the Boating Fund to the General Fund.
Boating Registration fees will go from the Boating Fund to the General Fund.
Marine Dealers or Manufacturers fees will go from Conservation Fund to General Fund.
Fees and penalties relating to polluters such as factories, commercial businesses, pesticide dealers, etc. They all have fines and fees to pay, they are being diverted from the Environmental Quality Fund to the General Fund.
A "Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fee" of $35 which is not new, that you have to pay when registering a vehicle is being diverted from the Clean Air Act account to the General Fund.
Of the above changes, the funds will be used to fund the agencies which generated to them as follows:
40% for the DMV
60% for the DEP
In other words, instead of putting the money into that numerous agencies can draw from, they are going into the general fund and only they can draw from the amount that they deposited into it. However, the Legislative Branch has control over the fund so Rell could deny some of the funding.
Fees from commercial shellfishing is going to the general fund.
Money resulting in the leasing, rental, sale, or depletion of publicly owned land or resources over $6,000 is being diverted FROM THE GENERAL FUND, TO the Conservation Fund.
People over 65 who could formerly get a free lifetime firearm/hunting/fishing license must now renew it annually for a fee of $1 for each renewal.
Public Hearing is scheduled on Wednesday at the Capital.
The authors of the bill are Rep. Cafero and Sen. McKinney. Both Republicans. Neffaro is the Minority Leader of the House.
The only huge potential problem with this bill is the last paragraph.
Sec. 95. Section 26-15 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage):
The state of Connecticut assents to the provisions of the Act of Congress entitled "An Act to Provide that the United States Shall Aid the States in Wildlife Restoration Projects, and for Other Purposes", approved September 2, 1937, and the Commissioner of Environmental Protection is authorized and directed to perform such acts as may be necessary to the establishment and operation of cooperative wildlife restoration projects, as defined in said act of congress, in compliance with said act and with rules and regulations promulgated by the Secretary of the Interior thereunder, and no funds accruing to the state from license fees paid by hunters shall be diverted for any other purpose than the protection, propagation, preservation and investigation of fish and game and administration of the functions of the department relating thereto.
The blue underlined part is being added, the black is the existed text of the statute.
The blue SHOULD read....
and no funds accruing to the state from license fees paid by hunters AND SPORTFISHERMAN shall be diverted for any other purpose than the protection, propagation, preservation and investigation of fish and game and administration of the functions of the department relating thereto.
Figure out who your state rep is, and email them about that last line. I think they might include sportfishermen when it says hunters, but it really should say both.