I think during last year's elections, it was overly obvious Bufflehead and I are polar opposites in our political standings. With that said, I can see where he is coming from.
Some of my concerns?:
- why is the State mandating that hunters do a charitable deed? Take away the $1 dollar 'no big deal' thing... Charity should be just that... charity. If the State sees a need to increase funding for a venison program, it plain and simple should come from the State's coffers. It did not need to be implemented through an additional user fee. I know, I know it's only a buck... a cup of coffee... irrelevent. We are already footing additional costs prior to the $1... as pointed out, the tag, the gas, any costs related to the hunt. If the State shall mandate charity, it should come from all within the State, as all can equally benefit from said charity. If it could not come from taxes recieved through the general fund, why not implement a $40.00 tag for any hunter to buy and shoot a 'donation' deer. The funds of this tag are solely used to pay for processing fees. At least we would see if people are 'all in' for such a program by the amount of tags sold. This would be done on a voulunteer (charity) basis. I donate to many programs on my own and through my Church. My wife rolls her eyes as I continually stuff loose change or a dollar bill into every donation can I see. I stop and buy hot dogs and lemonade form every sports team that sets up a street corner vending table... that is charity. Mandating charity builds resentment and animosity and unfortunatley evenetually a loss of control on a program. With a guaranteed funding source, there is no set in place defined perimeters that this program needs to hit in order to recieve future funding. What I mean is this... if a charity is 'bunk' it is eventually weeded out as people realize that little of their dollars are helping those they were intended to help. The good ones stay around and flourish. The govt. is hardly the clearinghouse for wise and proper ways to spend money.
- when the full implementaion of the program takes hold and the State is taking in a quarter of a million (+/-) dollars for the program, what guarantees are in place that the allocation of dollars is only being used for this program? ie: $250,000 recieved but say only 30,000 deer are taken in at a processing cost of $40.00 each re-imbersement (cost to skin and grind) = $120,000. Where is any possible overage going? Lost in the general fund? A direct donation to the food shelf?
- the flip side, what if more deer are donated vs. what the program can pay for? What is the plan to handle the surplus deer in that situation?
These are just a few of the points I thought of reading this thread.
I will give Bufflehead this... I believe he is pasionate about this, and I can feel his frustration. I know of no perfect system, but in todays political world, everyone is made out to be a victim and is entitled to umpteen govt. programs. Unfortunately in the mix are those who shouldn't be entitled. But we pay for those people in countless other taxes and fees and we never bat an eye. I pay WAY more in to taxes than a person should, but I am not yet threatening to quit going to work to prove my point.
My point being this... Buffy, right now you're being handed a basket of lemons. Let's make some lemon aid! Do the same thing I'm going to do (and have done for the last 4 years). Go ahead and buy your bonus tag, just don't give them the deer. Process it yourself and deliver it to some needy old folk, or as I do, donate it to a needy family(s), but in return they need to help you process it. I've done this to 7 deer over the last 4 years and it works great. I know where my deer are going and I know I am helping someone I care about out. The true sense of charity. The $1 may or may not end up helping someone undeserving out, but the deer you harvest goes directly to someone you do care about. Don't let them win. There is still ways to change the program, be proactive with your elected officials and go about that route for change. Remember we DO NOT live in a 'democratic' society, but rather a 'representitive' society. The former being all members of society vote on particular issues, the latter being our elected officials do the voting for us on said issues, based on their constituents beliefs and the voices heard. Let your's be known.
One last ditch way you can still go deer hunting in Minnesota with a clear conscience... do not buy any additional (bonus) tags ever again. The money is not being approprated from the basic deer license, but rather the bonus tags that are issued. If you buy your regular tag, none of that money is being used for the donation program... I hope you consider still buying an additional tag or two and personally donating as I've done and just write off the $1 and go to bed with a good feeling that you still helped someone in need.
Take care my friend and rethink the line you drew in the sand. Take a big step over it and show them, that you can contol you own destiny. 'Go your own' with the Bufflehead - Vickie and the Boys donation program and stay on your Reps. so they hear your voice. I've done it many times in the past and surprisingly, because I was the only voice on a subject... they listened!
Good Luck!
Ken
BFG stated the same thing I was typing...there are ways around the $1... and as I stated the amount is irrelevent... it's the premise.