tpet96
03-02-2001, 03:20 PM
Concerning the cutting of the budgets for the Division of Wildlife, Here is the context of the letter I received from Sam Speck, Director ODNR:
Thank you for your recent letter regarding the Governor's proposed budget for the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife. Your concerns are appreciated.
This is a very tight budget year, especially made so by the Ohio Supreme Court's mandate that the state should provide significantly more money for primary and secondary education. To meet this mandate, the Governor and General Assembly must find significantly more General Revenue for primary and secondary education. To gain additional General Revenue to help address this mandate, most state departments' budgets are being tightened.
As you may know, a large portion of the Division of Wildlife's funding is provided through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, a reimbursement given to states based in part on the number of hunting and fishing licenses sold each year. The USFWS does not recognize free licenses as licenses sold for reimbursement. That is why the General Assembly has historically provided a partial General Revenue Fund subsidy ($1 Million) for the free licenses. That gives the Division credit for the free licenses. That credit amounts to approximately $1.2 million per year in federal reimbursement that Ohio stands to lose if we do not begin charging a partial fee for senior licenses.
In addition to removing the free license subsidy, the Governor's budget as proposed would no longer provide General Revenue funding to support what are known as Central Support charges that the Division of Wildlife must pay. These are costs for such services as legal assistance in court cases, real estate costs associated with land acquisition, and other services not directly related to fish and wildlife management. This amounts to an additional $1.8 million per year that the Division of Wildlife would be in excess of $4 million per year.
To help offset the loss of General Revenue funding, the Governor has proposed shifting an additional 1/4% of the Motor Vehicle Fuel Tax to the Department of Natural Resources, with half going to the Division of Watercraft and half going to the Division of Wildlife to fund Boater-Angler projects. This would amount to approximately $1.5 million per year for the Division of Wildlife. However, this would not fully address the issue of lost General Revenue reimbursement for the Division. For that reason, the Governor's proposed budget would allow the Chief of the Division of Wildlife to once again levy a partial charge to seniors for hunting and fishing licenses, similar to the method used for charging youth hunters for their licenses (currently 1/2 price). I would expect that such a charge to seniors would be no higher than half the regular price.
Thank you again for writing, and I hope this information is helpful. If you have any additional questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact the Division of Wildlife at 1840 Belcher Drive, Columbus, OH 43224.
Samuel W Speck
Director
Thank you for your recent letter regarding the Governor's proposed budget for the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife. Your concerns are appreciated.
This is a very tight budget year, especially made so by the Ohio Supreme Court's mandate that the state should provide significantly more money for primary and secondary education. To meet this mandate, the Governor and General Assembly must find significantly more General Revenue for primary and secondary education. To gain additional General Revenue to help address this mandate, most state departments' budgets are being tightened.
As you may know, a large portion of the Division of Wildlife's funding is provided through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, a reimbursement given to states based in part on the number of hunting and fishing licenses sold each year. The USFWS does not recognize free licenses as licenses sold for reimbursement. That is why the General Assembly has historically provided a partial General Revenue Fund subsidy ($1 Million) for the free licenses. That gives the Division credit for the free licenses. That credit amounts to approximately $1.2 million per year in federal reimbursement that Ohio stands to lose if we do not begin charging a partial fee for senior licenses.
In addition to removing the free license subsidy, the Governor's budget as proposed would no longer provide General Revenue funding to support what are known as Central Support charges that the Division of Wildlife must pay. These are costs for such services as legal assistance in court cases, real estate costs associated with land acquisition, and other services not directly related to fish and wildlife management. This amounts to an additional $1.8 million per year that the Division of Wildlife would be in excess of $4 million per year.
To help offset the loss of General Revenue funding, the Governor has proposed shifting an additional 1/4% of the Motor Vehicle Fuel Tax to the Department of Natural Resources, with half going to the Division of Watercraft and half going to the Division of Wildlife to fund Boater-Angler projects. This would amount to approximately $1.5 million per year for the Division of Wildlife. However, this would not fully address the issue of lost General Revenue reimbursement for the Division. For that reason, the Governor's proposed budget would allow the Chief of the Division of Wildlife to once again levy a partial charge to seniors for hunting and fishing licenses, similar to the method used for charging youth hunters for their licenses (currently 1/2 price). I would expect that such a charge to seniors would be no higher than half the regular price.
Thank you again for writing, and I hope this information is helpful. If you have any additional questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact the Division of Wildlife at 1840 Belcher Drive, Columbus, OH 43224.
Samuel W Speck
Director