WDFW's Plan to Cover 30 Million Dollar Deficit

[bigtex]

For the past several years WDFW has been looking at growing budget deficits, but in the last minute the legislature steps in and provides "one-time" budget fixes of tax dollars which currently equate to $30,000,000. On June 30, 2019 those "one-time" fixes expire and the legislature has told WDFW (actually in law) they must have a plan to cover that by then. In the current state budget the legislature directed WDFW to contract with a consultant to look at WDFWs budget and see what the issue is. The consultant found that "WDFW's management practices had not contributed to the funding problem." The consultant compared WDFW to other state wildlife agencies and found that WDFW's biggest budget problem was simply a growing workload demanded on them by the state legislature (enacting new/enhanced programs), the federal government, and the court system without proper funding for those items, essentially unfunded mandates.

WDFW has also convened a citizen panel to look at how to cover that $30,000,000. The panel has determined that two-thirds of the funding should come from general fund sources (taxes). They are looking at diverting/raising state sales, lodging, B&O taxes. The remaining third will come from license holders. There are two proposals 1) across the board 12-15% license fee increase or 2) An additional $10 fee charged to each customer (essentially $10 per WILD ID number)

Bottom line is, taxes/fees will go up.

[Bango skank]

Maybe wdfw could stick to wildlife enforcement issues?  Oh, and not giving a quarter mill a year to a wolf councilor would free up some funds too.

[92xj]

Maybe we could create a hiking license, horseback riding license, camping license, bird watching license, hippy license, bridge jumping in public water license, pay gates into public lands... Oh, no wait, hunters and fisherfolks will cover it all for everyone.

[bigtex]

Maybe we could create a hiking license, horseback riding license, camping license, bird watching license, hippy license, bridge jumping in public water license, pay gates into public lands... Oh, no wait, hunters and fisherfolks will cover it all for everyone.

That's the reason why the panel wants two-thirds coming from taxes. WDFWs prior proposals have been nearly 100% from hunters/anglers. If the legislature goes with WDFWs proposal the general citizenry will be flipping a bigger bill for WDFW.

[Alpine Mojo]

Maybe we could create a hiking license, horseback riding license, camping license, bird watching license, hippy license, bridge jumping in public water license, pay gates into public lands... Oh, no wait, hunters and fisherfolks will cover it all for everyone.

Sounds good to me.  We have all been subject to user fees for years via licensing of hunting and fishing.  Let those liberal Seattle pussies pay to play for their hiking and tree hugging "experience".

[Mark Brenckle]

B-T, do you think there's anything the WDFW could stop doing or turn over to a different agency? Or possibly use subcontractors for?

[Mudman]

Maybe we could create a hiking license, horseback riding license, camping license, bird watching license, hippy license, bridge jumping in public water license, pay gates into public lands... Oh, no wait, hunters and fisherfolks will cover it all for everyone.

Oh don't you fret.  It will happen soon.  If they can think it they will try an tax it.  I bet they come up with some new impact fee or registration fee or processing fee to fund it.  From us of course. 

[bobcat]

Why don't they charge us extra for something we really want, and wouldn't mind paying for? Like a bear baiting permit. Or a cougar hound hunting permit? And how about raising non-resident application fees for moose, bighorn sheep, and mountain goat?

[KFhunter]

Maybe we could create a hiking license, horseback riding license, camping license, bird watching license, hippy license, bridge jumping in public water license, pay gates into public lands... Oh, no wait, hunters and fisherfolks will cover it all for everyone.

It's illegal to jump from public bridges 

[bigtex]

Why don't they charge us extra for something we really want, and wouldn't mind paying for? Like a bear baiting permit. Or a cougar hound hunting permit? And how about raising non-resident application fees for moose, bighorn sheep, and mountain goat?

Those would be a drop in the bucket (unless your bait permit is several thousand dollars). Plus, those would need to be passed by the legislature (good luck with the liberals in control).

[Fl0und3rz]

The consultant found that "WDFW's management practices had not contributed to the funding problem."

[usmc74]

maybe fine poachers a real fine

[bigtex]

maybe fine poachers a real fine

Doesn't matter. The fines go to the county government not WDFW.

[Curly]

It really is shocking that the consultant found no problem with management practices. We are always hearing about wasteful spending, but I guess a lot of that wasteful spending can be blamed on the legislature and the feds. Although I do think there has to be some blame to go around (such as that wolf consultant).

[bigtex]

B-T, do you think there's anything the WDFW could stop doing or turn over to a different agency? Or possibly use subcontractors for?

Do they have to stock trout in lakes? Nope. Do they have to release pheasants at release sites? Nope. There's a lot of things they could eliminate that would save $ but would also piss off a lot of people at the same time.

Realistically, the court mandates are the big issues simply because they don't come with any money.

Are there things that can be turned over to a different agency? Well in all honestly I think there are things that fall under DNR's mandate that should actually fall under WDFW. I'm sure there are some things that could be better handled by other agencies but they don't really stick out since they don't stick out they're probably not that big of a financial hit.

Those of us who can remember 30+ years ago and how the department has changed can tell you how there's less WDFW Officers (about 30 less than when the merger happened in 94 yet the population and enforcement areas have increased), less biologists, less field techs, less WDFW lands maintenance people, etc. There's this mindset that WDFW employees are just popping out all over, it's not true. I mean you have maintenance guys covering entire regions whereas they used to cover a county.