AIS funding in MN "where does it come from" ?

So, as we continue into yet another round of Game and Fish license fee increases. I’m sure “you know who” will punctuate every conversation with complaints about AIS inspections bleeding the DNR dry. And in anticipation, yes rapt anticipation I submit the following.

Hi Vern,
Only a $5 fee on Non Resident fishing licenses go to supporting AIS. Please see below for our main funding sources, we also get some federal funding via grants. Thank you for trying to educate others about program funding. I appreciate your question. Please let me know if you have any other questions.
Funding for the Invasive Species Program comes from a variety of sources, including:State Funds
· $1,370,844 from a $5 surcharge on watercraft registration (valid for three years) in Minnesota.
· $1,075,702 from a $5 fee on non-resident fishing licenses.
· $4,924,000 from a general fund appropriation (of this amount, $356,000 supported the terrestrial invasive species program).

Heidi Wolf
Invasive Species Unit Supervisor | Ecological and Water Resources
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
500 Lafayette Road, Box 25
St. Paul, MN 55155-4025
(651) 259-5152
[email protected]
mndnr.gov

Perfect!

There’s about $6.5M to cover the DNR short fall.

PLUS

There would be less of a short fall if they cut back on all the AIS BS.

Thanks Vern!

Sincerely,

You Know Who

x2 BK! Looking into gov’t spending is about the worst rabbit hole to go down. If they steal over $7 million for AIS, you can only imagine how many other drains they have to dump taxpayers $$ down.

This one is going 5 pages guaranteed…

Fight the good fight Buzz! I for one am with you 100% my friend…RR

It’s over $7m BW, but I thought we should leave some for education.

Brian Klawitter wrote:

It’s over $7m BW, but I thought we should leave some for education.

Thanks, I corrected my original statement.

Brian Klawitter wrote:

Perfect!

There’s about $6.5M to cover the DNR short fall.

PLUS

There would be less of a short fall if they cut back on all the AIS BS.

Thanks Vern!

Sincerely,

You Know Who

X3 BK your right on!

I dunno…..if they quit with the AIS stuff they would need to create another “chicken little the sky is falling event.”

Maybe they can bring up those flying carp again we see around town.

I was reading news recently about invasive migrating out west, Utah and Montana. I’m sure they’ll help come up with some new ideas.

Another end around Buzz! Lets find out where the money goes before we talk about hikes in fees! A goofy appropriation list does not tell us where it goes.

So this got me wondering about DNR admin costs. I wasn’t able to locate the entirety of desk jobs. However, the attached is for FY 2014 and pays the top 23 spots in the DNR $2.8 at that time (probably 2.97m at 3% yearly increase). Including $77k for Bob Lessard who last I heard (from MN bound) was living at his families fly-in fishing camp in Canada…And 7.2m for AIS, which as far as I can tell isn’t working. If you were wondering we sold 3.22m hunting and fishing licenses combined last year.

Attachment wasn’t working, but here is the link to the Dennis Anderson article I got it from.

http://www.startribune.com/anderson-dnr-pay-sheds-light-on-raises/293284711/

And CO’s salaries range from $51,198 to $67,505 annually…

BigWerm wrote:

And CO’s salaries range from $51,198 to $67,505 annually…

Missing your point here???

roosterrouster wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>BigWerm wrote:</div>
And CO’s salaries range from $51,198 to $67,505 annually…

Missing your point here???

Mainly that removing one admin post would be able to put 2.5 CO’s in the field.

Apparently there is more then just “you know who” interested in cutting back on the AIS funding to help pay for the shortfall at the DNR.

@Buzzdabassman

Also funding the AIS program are the Township and County tax dollars along with lake ass. donations.

The dnr needs to find a system for monitoring ais OTHER than employing these “do-nothing” people I see. On Lake Zumbro we have two points of entry to the water: one being a public launch site and the other at the opposite end of the lake is a fee only launch and the fee for daily use is high. Why send those that are supposed to be checking for ais to a launch site that is basically not being used while the public site is crowded and over-loaded and no one to check the throng of boats there? And why pay these people to sleep….and yes I have found them asleep in the truck, never waking up while I landed, trailered up and drained while I put gear away? As far as I am concerned, the ais stuff is a waste of money and should be stopped.

This right here….”Mainly that removing one admin post would be able to put 2.5 CO’s in the field.”….could be expanded to cover a lot more of the defict as well. It doesn’t all have to go the enforcement as there are plenty of areas and programs that could benefit from this.

The funding for AIS comes from the same place all government programs come from. TAXES……….you & I are paying for every single thing the DNR & state do.

I’m open to trying to prevent the spread of AIS through teenagers making minimum wage at boat ramps, simply helping look around peoples boats for very obvious weeds ect. I think the cost to slight benefit ratio is worth it there, as we all know how many a**hats launch boats and literally know zero about rules or regs. 7 million dollars worth…. no way. Its going to spread and in the end it will change the fisheries, but only time will tell which change and how much. Some fisheries may be better off! (see last IDO show for basic reference) Save the damn money for the stupid billboards I see too…. who the hell is learning from billboards that make zero sense unless your already aware of the need to check your boat…????

This like many other government spending concerns just re-enforces the perception of gov waste… but when money is no object and running a deficit literally can’t put you out of business this is what happens.