IL Sportsmen/women beware
12-18-2006, 05:49 PM
#1
Spike
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: So. Illinois
Posts: 92
IL Sportsmen/women beware
Let me start by saying that I'm not trying to spread some nasty rumor for fun. In fact, I HOPE its just a nasty rumor. I don't work for the IL DNR, but I work with several people who do and most of thewhispers that come down the grapevine are not too far off. Supposedly our distinguished governor (Rod) has been toying with the idea of putting the entire DNR under the IL EPA or Dept of Agriculture.
Now before you start brushing off this idea, keep in mind that this governor has a history of gutting the DNR, raiding its federal Pittman-Robertson wildlife funds for the general fund and appointing people with absolutely no wildlife education or training to be site superintendents at state game areas.
If the DNR was put under the EPA it would be bad, but if it was put under AG it would be terrible. We would likely end up with a system similar to what KS has. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I understand that farmers out there can get nuisance deer tags and sell them for whatever the market will bear. Imagine what that would do in IL.
Anyway.....no proof but this isn't coming from the typical "brother's friend's cousin's wife" either
Now before you start brushing off this idea, keep in mind that this governor has a history of gutting the DNR, raiding its federal Pittman-Robertson wildlife funds for the general fund and appointing people with absolutely no wildlife education or training to be site superintendents at state game areas.
If the DNR was put under the EPA it would be bad, but if it was put under AG it would be terrible. We would likely end up with a system similar to what KS has. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I understand that farmers out there can get nuisance deer tags and sell them for whatever the market will bear. Imagine what that would do in IL.
Anyway.....no proof but this isn't coming from the typical "brother's friend's cousin's wife" either
12-18-2006, 07:10 PM
#3
Fork Horn
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Victoria, MN
Posts: 145
RE: IL Sportsmen/women beware
That would really be a shame if it did happen. I really enjoy hunting IL and would hate to see such a drastic change. The only thing to do is for you all to vote out the Dems and get some fresh blood in there.
12-19-2006, 06:47 PM
#7
Spike
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: So. Illinois
Posts: 92
RE: IL Sportsmen/women beware
IllinoisShotgunDeer:
What it means is that the DNR could possibly no longer be an autonomous agency but actually at the discretion of the department of agriculture. Let's just say that agriculture and natural resources don't always see eye to eye on everything.
For the rest of you....here is an example of what the governor has done to your DNR:
The Pittman-Robertson Act imposes a tax on hunting equipment that you never even see. This money is collected by the Federal government and dispersed to the states based on the number of license sales, etc. This money is earmarked for wildlife habitat and associated costs of managing it. However, it also can be used for day-to-day operations by the state natural resource agencies. Now the IL DNR has been getting their budget cut for a long time but this money couldn't be touched. Well ol' Rod couldnt stand not being able to raid it, so he figured out a way. See the DNR used to own just about all of their buildings. In other words it cost them nothing to keep their office space, etc. Well Rod decided to transfer all of the DNR's buildings to ownership by an agency called Central Management Services (CMS). So the DNR no longer owns their buildings and now has to actually PAY RENT on them. The DNR Region 5 office in Benton costs the DNR $40,000/yr now when it used to cost them nothing. Imagine what this has done to the DNR statewide.Where do you think that money comes from? That's right....YOUR federal wildlife funds that are supposed to be for managing and purchasing wildlife habitat and public use opportunities.
This happened right under our noses....imagine what elsewe don't know about.
What it means is that the DNR could possibly no longer be an autonomous agency but actually at the discretion of the department of agriculture. Let's just say that agriculture and natural resources don't always see eye to eye on everything.
For the rest of you....here is an example of what the governor has done to your DNR:
The Pittman-Robertson Act imposes a tax on hunting equipment that you never even see. This money is collected by the Federal government and dispersed to the states based on the number of license sales, etc. This money is earmarked for wildlife habitat and associated costs of managing it. However, it also can be used for day-to-day operations by the state natural resource agencies. Now the IL DNR has been getting their budget cut for a long time but this money couldn't be touched. Well ol' Rod couldnt stand not being able to raid it, so he figured out a way. See the DNR used to own just about all of their buildings. In other words it cost them nothing to keep their office space, etc. Well Rod decided to transfer all of the DNR's buildings to ownership by an agency called Central Management Services (CMS). So the DNR no longer owns their buildings and now has to actually PAY RENT on them. The DNR Region 5 office in Benton costs the DNR $40,000/yr now when it used to cost them nothing. Imagine what this has done to the DNR statewide.Where do you think that money comes from? That's right....YOUR federal wildlife funds that are supposed to be for managing and purchasing wildlife habitat and public use opportunities.
This happened right under our noses....imagine what elsewe don't know about.
12-19-2006, 07:17 PM
#8
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Darien, IL
Posts: 6,744
RE: IL Sportsmen/women beware
I will look into this. I do know that Blowgo did "reappropraite" alot of DNR money. I don not know that he could influence PittmanRoberson $. That might be a federally controlled deal that he would have no control over without being a fraud and/or criminal. Oh wait, what in the world am I saying?
