OCR Text |
Show OCTOBER 19,2006 Page 8 THE GARFIELD COUNTY INSIDER DWR-2006? WHA 2006 Articles pulled fro JANUARY FEBRUARY THE REASONS BEHIND THE PROPOSED LICENSE FEE INCREASES Last modified: Tuesday, January 24,2006 Funding needed to keep Utah's wildlife populations healthy and properly managed would be received by the Division of Wildlife Resources through license fee increases approved by the Utah Wildlife Board on Jan. 5. Before the fees become official, they must be approved by the Utah Legislature. The fee increases would provide the DWR with as much as $3 million in additional funding. "If we don't receive the additional funding, we'll-have to make significant budget cuts that will include reducing the number of employees," said Jim Karpowitz, director of the DWR. "If we lose that budget money and those employees, the state's wildlife will suffer." Most of the license fee increases approved by the board are less than $5. 'The fee increases have also been spread out, so no single group of hunters or anglers will be impacted more than another group," Karpowitz said. What are the reasons for the license and fee increase proposal? • The Division of Wildlife Resources receives about 92 percent of its funding from the sale of hunting and fishing licenses, federal funds, and outside contracts. • Whenever the Legislature approves a pay/benefit increase the division must fund 92 percent of the costs internally. Those increases mean that additional funds must be generated from fees or federal funds. Federal funds are limited based on the number of licenses sold so more federal funds are not necessarily an option. • Between the years 2001 and 2004 there were very little or no pay increases for state employees. In 2006 and 2007 the Governors Office and Legislature is beginning to fund some increases with the recovering economy. The Governor recommended a 2.5 percent cost of living increase for state employees in 2007. That increase along with some changes in insurance and termination costs will cost the Division an additional $2.1 million in 2007. • Because of other cost increases and impacts such as vehicle and utility costs along with insurance impacts it is estimated that the Division will already incur a deficit in 2006 of about $1 million. With the increases in the Governors budget the 2007 year deficit would be nearly $3.4 million. • To address these impacts the Division cut $670,000 from 2006 budgets. Unless programs are eliminated or reduced there cannot be additional cuts. - Therefore, on an emergency basis the Division requested to the Wildlife Board, the Governors Office, and the Legislature, that fees be increased to cover the shortfall. • Approximately $1 million dollars in revenue will be raised by increasing resident fishing licenses $2, small game $3, combination $3 and deer permits $5. Increasing the big game application fee from $5 to $10 will generate about $1.3 million, and will help offset the total cost of the drawing. Other fee increases will-generate-approximately$365,000. The Wildlife Board also recommended raising the fee for brine shrimp COR fee by $5,000 that will generate approximately $400,000 in new revenue. • Although most fee changes were from $2 to $5, the bull moose hunting license was raised by $100. That increase brought the bull moose fee in line with the price of the other once-in-a-lifetime hunts. • Utah has a very small percent of nonresident hunters (under 8 percent) and consequently the revenue from nonresidents cannot significantly improve division budgets. Nevertheless, those fees were notably raised in recent years. Last year all big game licenses for nonresident bucks and bulls were raised from $50 to $500 per license/permit Three /yeWs ago nonresident fishing licenses were also raised by $25 for season fishing licenses. Nonresident short term fishing licenses were also jcreased. MARCH FISHING AND HUNTING LICENSE FEES WILL NOT GO UP IN 2007 Last modified: Tuesday, March 14, 2006 Utah legislature gives DWR $2.2 million in additional funding You won't have to pay more to fish and hunt in Utah in 2007. During the recent Utah legislative session, state legislators voted to give the Division of Wildlife Resources an additional $2.2 million to cover a budget shortfall the division was facing. Without the extra money, the DWR faced two choices: raise fishing and hunting license fees or make substantial budget cuts that would include reducing employees. "Legislators were very generous to Utah's wildlife this past legislative session," says Jim Karpowitz, director of the DWR. "If you enjoy the state's wildlife, you should thank your local representative and senator for the support they gave it. Without that support, we would have needed an increase in fishing and hunting license fees." Karpowitz says legislators recognize that wildlife is valuable to everyone in Utah. 'They understand that wildlife adds a lot to the quality of life for everyone in Utah," he said. 'They also realize that the financial burden for managing the state's wildlife shouldn't be placed only on the shoulders of hunters and anglers." Even with, the ongoing funding, the DWR could face another shortfall in 2008 if the agency doesn't find a way to obtain additional revenue. "We're looking at several new options to attract more people to fishing and hunting," Karpowitz said. New license sales could offset the need for license fee increases in 2008. In addition to the $2.2 million added to the DWR's budget, state legislators approved $5 million to rebuild the Midway State Fish Hatchery and $2.5 million to improve watersheds in Utah. "These additional dollars will be a great investment for the future of fish and wildlife in Utah," Karpowitz said. APRIL MAY JUNE JUL] A DWR SEEKS INPUT ABOUT PR People are encouraged to attend a series of upcoming public meetings and provide the Division of Wildlife Resources with their ideas about some license and fee changes the division is considering. The changes would change the way hunters apply for a permit in the state's big game drawings. They would also provide the agency with some much-needed funding. The DWR will present its ideas at a series of public meetings that begin at the end of July. Those who attend the meetings can learn more about the DWR's ideas and can provide their own ideas and suggestions. The DWR will consider the input it receives as it forms recommendations that it will take to the public again at a series of meetings in September. The DWR will also present a proposal at the upcoming meetings to establish a separate goose-hunting zone in northern Utah this fall. Recommendations that would probably result in hunters taking. about the same number of cougars in Utah this season as they took last season also will be presented. Meeting dates, times and locations are as follows: • Southern Region, July 25,7 p.m., Delta High School, 50 W. 300 N., Delta • Southeastern Region, July 26,6:30 p.m., John Wesley Powell Museum, 885 E. Main S u Green River • Northeastern Region, July 27,6:30 p.m., Western Park, # 2, 302 E. 200 S., Vernal • Central Region, Aug. 1, 6:30 p.m., SpringviUe High School, 1205 E. 900 S., Springville • Northern Region, Aug. 2, 6 p.m., Brigham City Community Center, 24 N. 300 W., Brigham City Fee change ideas The DWR is considering some fee change ideas that would provide the agency with some much-needed funding. These ideas are being presented at the upcoming meetings as informational items only and will not be acted on. After receiving input from the public, the DWR will bring the recommendations back to the public for action at meetings in September. One of the changes the DWR is currently considering would affect how the state's big game drawing is conducted. This idea would likely result in fewer people applying for a Utah limited entry or once-in-a-lifetime big game permit Reducing the number of applicants would provide the remaining applicants with a Last modified: Monday, better chance at drawing a i "Right now, it costs $5 ! big game permit in Utah Sheehan, Administrative Se chief for the DWR. "Thai lowest fees in the western I believe it's one of the maj number of people applying permits in Utah has been years." ! While the number of aj tinues to climb, the number which to apply hasn't chanj example, in 1998, more people applied for about A In 2006, more than 144,0( plied for about 4,400 permi In 1998, an average o*4 cations were submitted for that was available. By 200€ had climbed to an average < tions per permit. Jim Karpowitz, director says limited entry and once permits have become ver draw in Utah and that the ; like to make the few permi have available to people w! to partner with the agency I state's wildlife. "All of our new ideas j sonable and equitable way u costs of wildlife manageme ers, as well as to those who the drawing but don't hunt year," Karpowitz said. The DWR is considerir The agency is asking memb lie to help it choose ONE provide the agency with som own (each idea would genei million in new revenue): Option 1 (DWR's prefer^ Before applying in any ing any hunting permit, all h ing big game hunters, wou to buy a hunting license, allowing the holder to appl or buy a permit, a hunting also allow the holder to hui The license would cos of buying a hunting license, choose to buy a $34 combi that would also allow them This option has two advani • A portion of the $3.7 mil this option would come to federal government as new i to the state because of inc sales. • Hunters who already bu and combination licenses w fected by this change. |