Fortunately, the Unified Sportsman -- unified only by their ability to make enemies when compromise is needed -- lost its suit. Still, it cost the PGC money to defend, and in this time of tight money, the agency is rightly ticked off about the expenditure.
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If the PGC has made some absurdly stupid moves based on bad science and the inability to place economics in the picture, than a game agency run by the politicians would look like Dr. Frankenstein trying to create viable wildlife from Twinkies.
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The last license fee increase was approved in 1999, when gasoline cost about $1 gallon. Today, gasoline is well above $2 gallon. That increase alone requires a $600,000 increase in the one line item of our budget.
Hunting is a priviledge, not a right.
The GC operated at a 6 million dollar surplus last fiscal year.
The shop is in order right now, but good planning is the only thing that will keep it that way. If you really want the GC to aggressively look for "alternative" funding then go ahead and fight an increase.
I'm willing to pay a fair increase.
I for one am willing to pay an increase. The DMAP tags are going to probably be $10.00(proposed) this year. And thats o.k.
The GC has not had an increase in quite some time and we as hunters should expect to pay a little more.
Everything else we buy has gone up and everything the GC buys to operate has gone up as well.
Thier health care costs,cost of equipment,etc,etc. The list goes on.
The additional income is fiscallynecessary.
When we go to work year after year ,we expect a raise,don't we?
Gene,the problem is that far too many hunters expect to buy a deer and a few pheasants for the 20 bucks they spend on a lisence.Heck,a couple ditch chickens are worth more than the 20 bucks they spend on a lisence and they complain about the cuts in that program.It's truly a shame and that attitude makes me embarrased to call myself a hunter at times.Let's see,they want a buck,a bunch of pheasants,poaching stopped and habitat that is good enough to support more deer thanit can.Pretty tall order for an organization that hasn't recieved a fee increase in over 9 years while the cost to operate goes up every year.Maybe all they have to do is drive neons and stop spending all that money on the coyote stocking program.
I know I get my money's worth every year and I'll gladly pay more.You wanna get up early this saturday or sunday and do some crow hunting?
Let me reword it then.Are you saying PGC employees haven't or aren't expected totake any cuts in medical coverage?
For the record,I have no issues with anyone that would expect the PGC,State police or teachers to pony up more money for their hospitaization.I pay 100% of mine and it went up $150 this year alone.My hospitilization costs me more than my house did andI still pay medical bills every month.
Let me reword it then.Are you saying PGC employees haven't or aren't expected totake any cuts in medical coverage?
For the record,I have no issues with anyone that would expect the PGC,State police or teachers to pony up more money for their hospitaization.I pay 100% of mine and it went up $150 this year alone.My hospitilization costs me more than my house did andI still pay medical bills every month.
first, pgc game commission needs to get smaller trucks..gas difference alonewould pay for new game wardens..the repairs, did you know that those big vehiciles are twice as expensive to repair than a small one, i know, thats what i do for living..
doe permit should be raised to 50 dollars for doe.dont raise the regular license ,only doe permits..
bear license should be 100 dollars..
fines should go way up,give the WCO a percent of what he takes in..
you go up to canada to hunt bear and see how much it costs, a lot more than 100 dollars..
Myself I'd love to see a turkey stamp with a percentage going toward habitat and some toward education.
Does the PGC deserve a raise?If you use simple economics I'd have to say yes.All the costs went up for them so there has to at least be an account for inflation.I know folks are upset with deer management and the pheasant program and other things but to say the least look at our wonderful SGL system and all the land that gives us to hunt on.Habitat on SGL's compared to state forest,well there is no comparing.
As for the WCO's,you have to have a good enough wage here to get quality people interested.I wouldn't want their job.
I've seen the habitat work done on some SGL's with the limited equipment they have to work with and I'm pretty impressed.
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IF A FLY DIDN'T HAVE WINGS,WOULD IT STILL BE CALLED A FLY?
Does PGC deserve a license increase?
