Changing the finances of the Fish & Boat Commission

[melody]

* March 17, 2014 04:17 PM
* Rep. Gary Haluska

* Changing the finances of the Fish & Boat Commission
* In the near future I will be introducing legislation that will
* significantly change the finances of the Fish and Boat Commission.
*
* The Commission is already in a financial crisis with more bad times
* ahead as it faces inflation and pension hikes. My bill seeks to give
* the Commission the flexibility it needs to combat what could become
* unsurmountable difficulties.
*
* Currently, there are two separate funds within the Commission, the
* Fish Fund and the Boat Fund. In the past, having two separate funds
* with designated purposes worked well. But given the facts that anglers
* and boaters can enjoy the same waterways and resources and that boat
* registrations and fees provide for a consistent and sizable revenue
* flow, combining the two funds now makes sense. Also, the cost in time
* and labor needed to divide up proportionately each source of income for
* the Commission is, in my mind, wasted; a combined fund would relieve
* them of this accounting burden.
*
* The Fish Fund faces dwindling revenues and increased costs. The Boat
* Fund does not need to face the same problems, like rising fish food
* expenditures, hatchery repairs, and stocking expenses. By combining
* the funds, the Commission will be given a new tool and greater
* flexibility in responding to the fiscal challenges of today and
* tomorrow.

[galthatfishes]

Great! Now write one removing the earmarks on PGC tags and what it must be spent on.

[johns]

Could be a problem, fish get gasoline tax monies for gasoline and diesel purchased for boats and they also get money from the Dingell Johnson fund which is fishes equivalent of the PR fund. Both these funds have specific earmarks about how it must be spent. Could be a problem co-mingling the money.

[melody]

HB 2143 By Haluska. Amends Titles 30 (Fish) and 75 (Vehicles) eliminating the Fish Fund & Boat Fund; establishing the Fish & Boat Fund; & making editorial changes.