Merger Legislation 2016

[pfsc]

HCO2747 By Causer. Merges the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission and the Pennsylvania Game Commission into one independent agency, based on the results of the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee (LBFC) study on the issue.


* January 26, 2016 12:35 PM
* Rep. Martin Causer
* PA Fish & Boat/Game Commission Merger
* In the near future, I plan to introduce legislation to merge the
* Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission and the Pennsylvania Game
* Commission into one independent agency, based on the results of the
* Legislative Budget and Finance Committee (LBFC) study on the issue.
*
* As you know, the House last session passed my HR 129 directing the
* LBFC to examine the feasibility, impact, costs and savings of combining
* the agencies and to explore a range of options with regard to how to
* structure a new agency to best manage the wildlife and aquatic
* resources of the Commonwealth. Currently, Pennsylvania is the only
* state in the nation with two separate, independent agencies with
* management and oversight of fishing, boating and wildlife activities.
*
* The LBFC study found that a merger of the commissions is feasible and
* would save the Commonwealth at least $5 million annually, primarily
* through elimination of redundant upper level positions and duplication
* of services.
*
* Given the concerns about financial difficulties frequently expressed
* by both agencies, and the reality that other states' wildlife agencies
* can operate efficiently under one umbrella, I believe now is the time
* to take a more serious look at combing the two commissions into one
* more streamlined, efficient agency.

[ridgecommander]

Getting to a point where I may support this as long as DCNR is not a part of the merger. With the budget issues of both agencies a concern, a merger will most likely assist by streamlining operations.

Now if Causer and his colleagues would get the fortitude to address pension reform, we would be getting somewhere.

[melody]

Has the government EVER done anything that saved you money?

[Dutch]

Jan 27, 2016 11:08:09 GMT -5 ridgecommander said:

Getting to a point where I may support this as long as DCNR is not a part of the merger. With the budget issues of both agencies a concern, a merger will most likely assist by streamlining operations.

No if Causer and his colleagues would get the fortitude to address pension reform, we would be getting somewhere.

Last time this came up and was studied, the "savings" were pretty elusive.

[Dutch]

Jan 27, 2016 11:17:01 GMT -5 melody said:

Has the government EVER done anything that saved you money?

Why yes. They cut my taxes, but then allowed all the debt to build up for our children and grandchildren. LOL

[ridgecommander]

Jan 27, 2016 11:17:01 GMT -5 melody said:

Has the government EVER done anything that saved you money?

I will bold my response since it seems to mean something to some folks.

The fact is both agencies are hurting for money. The fact is both agencies will face budget issues moving forward. The fact is a merger of those two agencies will save some money. The fact is most states do not have separate game and fish agencies. The fact is their are positions within each agency that are redundant and duplicate if they were merged. Those are the facts.

[Dutch]

I believe Carl Roe, when this came up last time, debunked the "savings" that Causer "found".

[ridgecommander]

Jan 27, 2016 13:41:52 GMT -5 Dutch said:

I believe Carl Roe, when this came up last time, debunked the "savings" that Causer "found".

Causer did not find savings. The LBFC stated savings by a merger.

Forgot to add this in my previous post. I will again bold it as it seems to add something for some;

The fact is a merger still maintains an independent agency.

[Dutch]

The independent agency thing is a farce.

[ridgecommander]

Jan 27, 2016 14:22:19 GMT -5 Dutch said:

The independent agency thing is a farce.

So the better option in your mind is direct oversight and review of regulatory changes as was proposed by a certain representative a few years ago?

[Dutch]

I have no love for either commission. Both are nothing more than state agencies, with state agency thinking. The "civilian" oversight is done by political hacks that have their own agendas, and have nose rings, only to be lead around by influential legislators.

[galthatfishes]

Wonder if Alloway is still promising positions to sitting Commissioners like I heard (from several) that he was last time to gain their support?