DNR, Please raise fees!!!

[Bobb-o]

Why won't the DNR raise license fees? In this time when they need money the most and licenses are still an unbelieveable bargain, why dont they raise the fees? How many of you out there would be willing to pay $25-$30 for a yearly fishing license? I would. Or how aboot at least $40 for a deerhunting license. The DNR needs to realize that to get more money they don't need to jack up the prices on the nonresidents, or if they are going to raise the nonresident fees, at least raise the resident fees alongside them

Sorry, just bored at work so i felt like ranting......

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"I may not agree with what you have to say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it"

[big_fish_guy]

they can (and are proposing to) all they want. Have my lifetime license as of this year.

[SpikeRoberts]

Bobb-o,
Sounds like somone heard your rant...

http://www.startribune.com/stories/531/3752199.html

[Bobb-o]

Their proposal isn't enough. They are only gonna raise the deer licenses $1? and the only thing they have in there aboot fishing is the trout stamp being raised, which i buy every year just as an excuse to give the dnr more money (that and it's very pretty). I seriously think they should raise the fishing license to at least $25, but then not to scare away people who only fish that one weekend a year, keep the weekend license the same (i think it is something like $10??) I thought they already had a youth hunting license thingy? I got one my first year that gave me a license but not a tag for $5.

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"I may not agree with what you have to say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it"

[Sturgeon46]

In that case, I'd be happy to pay more. I'm just extremely leary of any fee or tax increase. In most cases, I'm in favor of cutting to the bone and then raising revenue.

[Bobb-o]

Anyone know what the license fees were in the '70s and '80s? it would be interesting to compare the fees from them to see how much below inflation they are.

~Oh, and another thing, whatever happened to the Lottery? wasnt that pretty much setup tp benefit the DNR, did you know that only 6.5 CENTS out of every dollar earned goes to the DNR!!

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"Contrary to what most people think, the smartest person in the world is not a scientist, a teacher, or even a writer, the smartest person in the world is the guy who figured out a way to get paid to go fishing."

[Dave B]

Is someone stopping you from donating money to the DNR general fund?

I agree that licenses are pretty cheap. However, I doubt that by paying $40 would result in fishing and hunting being improved.

[Guest]

Bobbo-I appreciate your enthusiasm and I realize you are a young man still in College.

I'd like to warn you, however, about your post and thinking that raising taxes solves all of our money shortage problems. When you become a full-time tax payer and see 35-40% of your hard-earned money going to the "Boys" you might feel different.

Look at it this way--if you are charged more for the same item than the "other guy", (because you earn more than the "other guy") does that seem fair?

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Chells

[Aquaman01]

Hmmm - sliding scale license fees?

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Aquaman
< )/////><{
"I think we're gonna need a bigger boat."

Oh, Bobb-o, on your signature - I personally prefered the Malcolm X quote.

[This message has been edited by Aquaman01 (edited 03-13-2003).]

[Chev_trucks501]

I would have to agree with Chells. I don't think raising the license fees is going to do a whole heck of alot. Also I think they should jack up the non-resident fees. After all look at all the states around us. They are all raising the fees for us to go there... I say let's return the favor! More fishing for me then

woooohoooooo still looking for that first open water..

[NINETOE]

Before the DNR considers raising fees they should look at the spending that they have done over the past few years. Drop down to the out door political power forum and look. The dnr spent 22 million on consultant fees over the past two years after they said they would not. Ohh yeah the loop hole left there for them oops! How much have they spent for catering? How much on resort stays for seminars and career development? Im not singling out the DNR as Im sure most gov agencies have millions that are wasted. They are sure to spend everything in thier budget because if they didnt they couldnt ask for more the folling year. All gov agencies do it. Bobb-o are you in favor of increasing state , federal , and property taxes as well. I think it is prudent to be skeptical when your talking about any government entity and money. 0.02

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" chaos , panic and disorder ... my work here is done. "
I.B.O.T. # 013

[Bobb-o]

I do agree that they have to be held accountable for their spending, but that doesn't put aside the fact that they still need money. I am all for raising taxes. I fully support the 3/16ths, 1/2 of 1%, and whatever else they need. Another thing the DNR needs to look at is maybe cleaning some house down at the St. Paul Office....What do they need to pay outside consultants for? what are the people in the St. Paul Office there for? twiddling their thumbs?

Maybe my feelings are a little selfish, in the fact that i am going to school to someday (hopefully, God-willing) become a C.O. But I do also feel that the DNR is grossly underfunded. If the legislator would ever pass the 3/16ths tax, they wouldnt even need to raise fees. Look at Missouri as a prime example. I just think that a state that prides itself on its outdoors should provide some funding towards the agency that keeps track of how the resources are being used.

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"I may not agree with what you have to say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it"

[Sturgeon46]

Bobb-o. I appreciate where you are coming from. I think my fishing license is worth much more than I pay. However. . . . How would you feel if they doubled the cost of your fishing license and used the revenue to pay for bike paths, nature kiosks, protection programs for the "Lesser Freckled Left-winged Cheech" or whatever. I'd gladly pay more for a license or additional stamp - if and only if the money went directly towards the specific fisheries (or hunting) programs I'm paying for.

Starving the beast is probably what's needed here.

[SpikeRoberts]

License fees are dedicated to the Game and Fish fund by law (MN Statutes, Section 97A.055). They DO only go to fisheries and wildlife divisions of the DNR. As matter of fact, 75% of the fisheries revenue comes from license and stamps. Another 17% comes from lottery revenues.

[Guest]

as an out of stater or as i was once told.....a "packsacker"....i've been fishing the ely area for 20 years....if they raise the non-resident license.....i would still fish Mn.....but....that might push some out of state people to not come back and that also would effect the economy where they fish...i.e....bait and tackle sales....gas....groceries.....restaurants.....resorts....as here in Illinois the lottery was supposed to be the salvation of our schools.....Not!!!!!.....they're still hurting for money.....and why is that????.....it's because when you give any government agency a new revenue source.....it never seems to fix the problems they say need fixing.....they always divert most of the money to shore up the other things they won't tell you about....and as far as raising taxes.....i think between all of the taxes we pay now....real estate.....sales.....payroll ....income tax....state....federal and local...our taxation rate is over 50%.....a fact!!!!....what they need to do is cut all the pork....and if an agency goes beyond thier budget.......maybe some stiff consequences would be in order.....if we cant live and spend beyond our own means.....why should they??....just an out of staters point of view....

[CMWINTER]

Chev is right why dodn't we charge non-residents more?

[fubar]

why don't we tax the fishing industry of the indians for the 100,000 lbs of walleye taken.

[troutsy]

I know of a sure fire way to get this state out of their budget deficit, and to give the DNR and all other state agencies more money than they know what to do with. My idea is - make everybody pay taxes - Look at how many foreigners(immigrants) have been moving to this state, and not 1 of them pays taxes. They all get 100% tax free for 7 years. If they all payed taxes like the rest of us, this state would be alot better off, guaranteed! This a pet peeve of mine and I just thought I would vent a little. I would like to hear others thoughts on this issue.