more fees to fish... here we go again

[JohnWester]

senate file 3666 was introduced by senator Chaudhary and it proposes adding a walleye stamp at the cost of $5.  So if he has his way, you'll have to cough up another $5 to fish walleyes.  what do you guys and gals think about this?  I don't like it at all.  Yeah, it's only $5 dollars you say... but $5 here and $5 there and before you know it... $$$  I wrote my representatives and asked them to do what they can to not allow this.  I believe this is a bad thing for the state and the sport of fishing.  The DNR gets enough money, they just manage it poorly, and if the 3/8ths vote passes this fall, they'll have plenty more money to piss away. 
The main lively hood of the state is it's sportsmen fishing industry... I think by adding another fee, they just be pushing more people out.

What say you?
please vote in this poll.

[UncleDave]

On your other post I sarcastically asked if they were going to start taxing us for our fish.  I guess they want to.  UNREAL!!!  6+ billion dollar tax hike and that's not enough yet.   

[proangler16]

Like uncledave, I posted a reply too about just how DFL'rs really are, and look it's true.  TAX, TAX, TAX and control everything.  I really think that all DFL'rs need to read and study about the demise of the Roman Empire, actually all politicians for that matter. 

[Super Star!]

senate file 3666 was introduced by senator Chaudhary and it proposes adding a walleye stamp at the cost of $5.  So if he has his way, you'll have to cough up another $5 to fish walleyes.  what do you guys and gals think about this?  I don't like it at all.  Yeah, it's only $5 dollars you say... but $5 here and $5 there and before you know it... $$$  I wrote my representatives and asked them to do what they can to not allow this.  I believe this is a bad thing for the state and the sport of fishing.  The DNR gets enough money, they just manage it poorly, and if the 3/8ths vote passes this fall, they'll have plenty more money to piss away. 
The main lively hood of the state is it's sportsmen fishing industry... I think by adding another fee, they just be pushing more people out.

What say you?
please vote in this poll.

 Did you look into the reasoning behind it before you start to jump some??
Me I think its a great idea the DNR funding may have piss poor management in the money department but still they are under paid and short funded... i seen in your other post you guys bitched about the new truck and new this and new that. Well think about it you want a dnr officer coming to help you out in beat up 1940 that barley runs or a new truck that runs great and can get there faster?
You guys bitch and bitch about this but when you need them i bet you don’t...
Then sit and ask your self this. You fish hunt and all how much money did you donate to your local dnr/conservation office this year? i for one donate every year maybe if you did not spend all your time bichen about things and donated some money they would not have to add on  another fee here and another there. Look at it as conserving the wildlife for the children.

I do not think it is an easy job for the dnr to keep up with every thing. Look how much money the put into lawsuits and defending are right to hunt and fish. And for some of you to sit there and bitch about 5 dollars come on what’s worst 5 dollars or no fishing and hunting when the antis shut it down. If you do not know the antis have billions of dollars at there takings to fight for animal right. Check out how much Microsoft donates to them a year. Better yet check out Ford and GMs donation to them a year.

Now delete this if you want. Witch I am sure you will but do your research on something before you bitch. Better yet take you self down to your local DNR office and donate some money to them and tell them what a good job they are doing at defending your freedom to hunt and fish in the great state of Minnesota.

[Lee Borgersen]

I think I just figured out where the one yes vote came from.

[Super Star!]

I think I just figured out where the one yes vote came from.

actually i did not vote on it there dick tracey. so one more time do your research before you come with your verbal manure...

[UncleDave]

Wow SS.  You seem hostile and angry and confrontational.  I guess your opinion is the only one that matters and d*mn everyone who doesn't side with you.   

[Super Star!]

Wow SS.  You seem hostile and angry and confrontational.  I guess your opinion is the only one that matters and d*mn everyone who doesn't side with you.   

no just on someone who wants to single me out..... not madd i Love a heated debate if you have not noticed............. no harm intended...

did you donate some money yet??

[UncleDave]

I donate my money to vets and animal causes, not the DNR.  They have plenty of money.  They just need to utilize it in a proper manner.  We are top 5 in taxes in the nation in just about every category.  They don't need anymore of my money.  The DNR is not a charitable organization.  It is a government agency.  Do you donate money to the military to help our vets? 

[proangler16]

SS like to Preach I guess.  Here's some of my research I guess food for thought for SS. I purchase my hunting/fishing licenses every year without a problem, which goes directly to the DNR or at least a person thinks that anyhow, but maybe some politicians got their fingers in the DNR's funds for their own special interests groups elsewehre taking some of the DNR's funds, who really knows right.  All I know is I do my part by my yearly purchases from the state and DNR.  For example I and along with bout 20+ buddies fish Lake Mille Lacs quite heavily durring open water season so lets say 8-10 boats up there quite frequently and in talking with them, none, not one of us have yet to see a DNR official person, survey person, DNR truck/ DNR anything, Creel Survey DNR person, anywhere on or near that lake now for 2-years now.  Pretty strange huh how they get some of there numbers for walleye's huh.  I know that the 20+ poeople I personally know that fish up there is a small number compared to the big picture of people that fish that lake but you'd sure think that one of us would see the DNR hard at work at least on a public dock/launch surveying legal anglers with keepable fish and also how many fish went back in the lake.  I sure use to see the DNR up there quit a bit prior to just a couple of years ago.  I do agree that the DNR in the State budgets get's shafted quite a bit and are undemanned and under funded.  But that's because of our elected officials and there special interests groups are more important, so what do the do???  They are passing the buck onto us sportsman to do more of the funding.

[Super Star!]

Pro... good findings i agree in some ways

uncle dave... dont worry i do my donations where they belong.. be it to the soilders, DNR, PETA (lol yeah right ), familys in need, fire victoms you name i probly have donated,

If you want dave next dec. we can meet and do are donating togather.


I guess im not the PRICK you all think i am LOL 

[ThunderCAT]

Out of curiousity, does anyone know where an annual DNR budget can be found that shows how much money is coming in and where it's being allocated? It's a gov't agency, so I would imagine those #'s are public record.

We can all give an opinion about where we THINK the money is going, if we THINK they need more, if we THINK they need less, etc. But I am going to withhold judgement either way until I can see for myself how much money is being brought in and what is being done with it.

All that being said, if a $5 stamp is passed, I'll certainly pay for it and abide by the laws set before me.

EDIT: Here's a link I've found...haven't had time to dig into it yet, but thought I would share if others wanted to take a look at it.

http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/aboutdnr/budget/budgetplan/index.html

[JohnWester]

wow,,, I'll allow the bashing on me ss, I am thick skinned and can take it.  But please keep the debate civil and to the point.  No where in my original post did I bash anyone (unless you call saying the dnr pisses away it's money).  I merely brought it to the attention of the members of the website, gave my opinion, and asked for yours.  I'll not pick apart your post, you did express your opinion about the proposed $5 walleye stamp, but we could do without the negative talk towards the other boards members.  If you want to talk negatively, you are welcome to PM me or, if you wish... I'll be at the get together this Sat. on Lake Peltier.  I'd be more then welcome to discuss this with you in person then.

Now back to the subject...

We'll I agree the the DNR is underfunded... the initial solution is not to throw more money at them.  Lets figure out where their money goes and make sure it is properly being used... if they are still short, then by all means throw some more money at them.  But like I said in my other post, the 3/8ths bill is on the November ballot, and will probably be passed (thanks in part to the arts being tacked on), so the DNR will get a great windfall there.  Let's wait and see how that pans out before we go adding more stamps and fees.

[proangler16]

Good Post John, another good example is were were all told that some percentage of the proceeds from the MN State Lotto Games were supposed to go to the DNR I thought.  But I do believe more and more groups have gotten there hands in the cookie Jar and that statement isn't so true any longer.  I guess if the bill passes I'll pay the extra added new $5 stamp fee, but don't want to find out 4-years later on (after we all forget about the new fee and where it's supposed to really go) come to find out that $1.00 of my fee is supporting food stamps for Ilegal Immigrants in MN that shouldn't be here anyway because the Dem's snuck that it somewhere.  As you can see I'm not a reall big fan of the DFL, nor am I real heavy into the REP side either but ever since the new MN Legislature session started this year and giving themeselves a big old raise last year right out of the shoot, all I see is the DFL side taxing me to death right and left now and paying for there ideas and self voted raises and now they want to tax clothing so to say too, and Walley's so it seems.  Where does it end???

[Bobby Bass]

I don't think the problem lies with paying an extra 5.00 for a walleye stamp. The trout fishermen have been doing it for years. Nor is this anything new, the idea of a species stamp. If the extra money you pay for that stamp is actually earmarked for that species I don't think you would have much problem with it. The problem as I see it is if you have a stamp for walleye can a stamp for bass and then northern and then pan fish be to far behind? If you fish for just walleye again no big deal, but if you are the casual angler who is just looking for a tug at the end of your line you are going to have to buy a lot of stamps. A fishing license is purchased to cover you for all of them species, why add more fees on top of it. Just another way of driving borderline fishermen to the side of not fishing any more. I can remember thirty years ago talk of species stamps so this is nothing new. As for the 3/8th bill. Don't spend money that you don't have or count on it either. Sound advice for a private person  but usually ignored by the government.  

The poll should be more defined, if the question was would you buy a five dollar stamp with the proceed to benefit walleye fishing then I would vote yes but not if it was to raise money for the DNR to then be tapped for other government projects. Actually I would rather see an increase in the general fishing license earmarked for fishing.
 

[JohnWester]

The problem as I see it is if you have a stamp for walleye can a stamp for bass and then northern and then pan fish be to far behind?

exactly my thoughts BB.
Just to be fair and point out... in the bill there is wording that says the moneys raised from the sale of the walleye stamp will be put aside for walleye stocking, fry raising... ect.  so there is some verbiage to make sure it goes "initially" only to the walleye restocking program.

I am sure this guy thinks he has the fishermen's best intentions in mind... but I don't think this is the solution yet.

[Super Star!]

john show me were the DNR pisses away money... i see it well spent. they spent 100 of thousands of dollars to keep the 220 still legal to set on land and all the money spent to keep trapping open due to the lynx issue.. is that what you call pissing money away.. show me and just this one time i might have to agree with you but i still see no proof?

is it the new trucks?
the boats?
the atvs?

[JohnWester]

i don't have a lot of time to dig into it right now... but I will.  to be continued...

[Super Star!]

i don't have a lot of time to dig into it right now... but I will.  to be continued...

thanks buddy...

i guess i would have thought you would have them at the top of your head..

[UncleDave]

Name ANY government agency that is run effeciently without wasted spending.  Government, unlike the private sector has no incentive to operate effeciently.  They just raise fees and taxes when they want at will.  If a lure manufacturer is short on funds to stay open they can't just start charging everyone, without asking, a fee to stay profitable.  They look for ways to increase sales (IE sell more licenses in the case of the DNR), cut spending where appropriate, or go out of business.  The government almost nevr cuts a program or spending.  The state budget is up about 50% in the past 8 years.  That's about double the inflation rate and doesn't take into consideration the massive new tax bill the dems and  7 pubs just passed.  I don't care what they say this fee or that tax is for.  Enough is enough.     

[Cody Gruchow]

i for one do have a problem with this stamp. i dont mind a extra 5 dollars to do it, BUT why stamps now? because there short on funding, to me i see them spending money trying to stock walleyes in lakes that arent capable of maintaining that species of fish, no cover etc. how many times have they done that. tons of times and yes i give them an A for effort but those are just wasted funds. now they already have a stamp on trout yes, but if they pass this walleye stamp im sure that muskies,northerns,bass,crappies,sunfish,catfish and so on will end up with there own as well and after a while some people will stop fishing, and younger kids that are in familys less fortunate then others will never get a chance to fish, because of you add an extra 5 dollars for each stamp its 25 dollars not counting 2 of the fish and then the lisense fee (which im sure will be raised) and then how many people lose out? the sport we know today will practically come to a screeching halt.

[proangler16]

I hear you UncleDave. Most people would agree that taking profits from your company and reinvesting them back into your company is a great thing and a sure way to stay alive.  Well good old Corporate America as it's known these days, just last month our U.S. Congress passed 50-billion Dollars of our U.S. Tax Payor dollars to be given away to Africa and other foreighn nations at a rate of 10-billion over the next consecutive 5-years for AIDS research.  Not saying that that research is a bad thing but HEY, Do the math???  Let's see, 50-States, that's 1-billion dollars Per State that could fix a lot of roads/bridges etc.. or Health care, or what ever, Our state a nearly a 1-billion dollar budget shortage this year, our elected official are not reivesting in it's homeland nearly what it should be, it  off I tell you!!! 

[Tami]

I would rather paid 5 bucks for a stamp then 20 bucks added to the lic and up the bait costs. and permit costs.. and boat reg and lic and all that...and everything else they get us at.

[UncleDave]

Let's count the taxes for fisherman already:  fishing license fee, trout stamp, boat license, trailer license, ice house license, atv license, etc.  Now if I can just afford the gas and the tax on it, the bait and tax on it, the road fee to get on the lake maybe I can catch a fish.  What's next, tax the water itself?  Oops, someone already thought of that.