DNR Proposed Fee Increases….How about some ideas

Instead of complaining…..

How about….

1.) User taxes that help support the enoforcement of the items that are costing the DNR. Special Trailer Tag for those that want to fish/boat in known infested water and trailer out. Need to have an annual sticker and complete a questionaire. This would create awareness and help manage the problem at neck down areas of infestation. (Same with milfoil lakes)

2.) Live Bait Tag that you must have with your license if you choose to use / have live bait on board. Again, dealing with exotics.

3.) Hunting and Fishing Tags could have specdial features that would allow for the payment of additional species. Seems like it might be time for a musky stamp with all the stocking efforts of the DNR of this fish into non-musky lakes.

4.) On-line purchase and coordinate with drivers license numbers to cut down on paper issuance. Seems like a no brainer. Doesn’t matter about state. If you don’t have a DL, you could still print one out but it would be for a fee.

Other ideas? Feel free to chime in…

Dog

I assume your talking about MN, since that has been a recent topic. I’m in WI, so not right for me to jump without knoing the facts….But as far as WI goes, how about if the DNR learns how to spend its money wisely and the State needs to keep their greedy FAT fingers out of the cookie jar!

I like some of your ideas. THe problem with requiring additional stamps or licenses to use infested waters or fish would be if someone didn’t know where they were going to fish. It sounds like many members have certain lakes they go to all the time.However, there are bound to be people that never would go there but now they need to buy a special license for that one day they may go. I think you will have a lot of frustrated anglers. I do like the idea of having it attached with your license. Makes for less to carry

Randy –

You KNOW I 100% agree with you.

As far as known lakes, there would be a list and the beginning of the year – if you are “in” you pay, if you don’t know…you are contributing to the problem and should get educated about where you are fishing and what kind of exotics you are helping move around.

Ignorance is not a good excuse.

Dog

No, No and NO!!!

The DNR’s “War” on invasives is already lost. Once every lake, river and stream is infested, will those “Fees” go away? I think not.

We would be better off putting invasives in all waters and be done with it. It’s just a matter of time. Remeber, boaters are not the only culprit in spreading them.

-J.

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Remember, boaters are not the only culprit in spreading them.

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Agreed, and only a fraction of boaters (albeit maybe large) are fisherman/hunters

All boats, not just angling boats. In MN, you go to the DNR for your 3 year tag.

Also, the DNR can attach to the trailers and the trailer tag. Every year, I see a DNR employee sitting in the sun, watching trailers go in and out of the water. Nice work, if you can get it. Might as well fund their tan with a tax to enforce.

Dog

Another one….

Fire up an on the water gas tax for marinas, etc. They are a convenience and could tax the user – boater and the tax would be directed right at the boater for the priviledge of using the boat on MN waters.

Tax Tax Tax – at the user level for support of the Department dedicated to enforce the foolish laws that our lawmakers can dream up.

How about a special speed limit for boats and trailers being towed — break the law, get caught and the DNR gets another pay day for your dangerous behavior.

More taxes for lakeshore property owners to review the level of infestation and create reports that they could have to make them feel better about the research and lack of enforcement.

Like Jon says, ” the birds did it”….

But that could be saved for the fine print in the report. Lawmakers don’t want the truth.

Dog

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All boats, not just angling boats. In MN, you go to the DNR for your 3 year tag.

Also, the DNR can attach to the trailers and the trailer tag. Every year, I see a DNR employee sitting in the sun, watching trailers go in and out of the water. Nice work, if you can get it. Might as well fund their tan with a tax to enforce.

Dog

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Some of those people do not even work for the DNR, some do. On mille lacs I had some guy check my stuff and he said he volunteered for the DNR.

I tend to agree that most of the fee ideas would not be good policy. That said, I don’t know what my license cost in 2010 and if it went up a few bucks in 2011 I guarantee I wouldn’t notice. I just hope the money stays with the DNR.

While I love to argue on principle I don’t think it’s worth it to argue against a license fee increase of less than $5. Plus, if the money stays with the organization that is responsible for stocking and managing our fisheries (and enforcing the limits) I’m happy to pay it. Honestly, I think they do a pretty good job overall.

By the way, I believe the sticker patrol at the boat ramps are volunteers/interns. The couple that I’ve talked to weren’t getting paid, at least.

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By the way, I believe the sticker patrol at the boat ramps are volunteers/interns. The couple that I’ve talked to weren’t getting paid, at least.

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+1!!!

They mainly are survey takers. What were you fishing for? when did you go out? how many did you catch, and did you keep any. and can I check your sticker on your trailer.

We could just tax emails, forum threads, algore and the air we breathe while we are at it.

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All boats, not just angling boats. In MN, you go to the DNR for your 3 year tag.

Also, the DNR can attach to the trailers and the trailer tag. Every year, I see a DNR employee sitting in the sun, watching trailers go in and out of the water. Nice work, if you can get it. Might as well fund their tan with a tax to enforce.

Dog

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Some of those people do not even work for the DNR, some do. On mille lacs I had some guy check my stuff and he said he volunteered for the DNR.

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Yes,a volunteer who is driving one of the 10,000 new vehicles they buy every year. I laugh every time I drive past the headquarters and there is 25 new vehicles sitting in the lot with the gold stickers on it.

hmmm down here they drive decent vehicles but, they cram people in them. Maybe the volunteers get to use the vehicle for their FREE time they are putting into doing the survey for educational purposes for the DNR.

I guess Im at the point where I do not care anymore what they do as long as they keep doing what they are doing. Everyone that is complaining… With out the DNR you probably wouldn’t be catching ANY fish.

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All boats, not just angling boats. In MN, you go to the DNR for your 3 year tag.

Also, the DNR can attach to the trailers and the trailer tag. Every year, I see a DNR employee sitting in the sun, watching trailers go in and out of the water. Nice work, if you can get it. Might as well fund their tan with a tax to enforce.

Dog

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just what we need in this state….another tax…

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Another one….

Fire up an on the water gas tax for marinas, etc. They are a convenience and could tax the user – boater and the tax would be directed right at the boater for the priviledge of using the boat on MN waters.

Tax Tax Tax – at the user level for support of the Department dedicated to enforce the foolish laws that our lawmakers can dream up.

How about a special speed limit for boats and trailers being towed — break the law, get caught and the DNR gets another pay day for your dangerous behavior.

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another tax? tax the marina’s for doing business?

is it your goal to contribute in the killing of our economy?

while you’re at it Grouse, why don’t you author up some legislation on a new complete tax?

we can tax everyone at a rate of say 80%, fund all of the programs you want, health care, roads, education, everything! and then whatever is left, we can just evenly distribute amongst everyone in the form of vouchers, that can be used at govt run stores, seeing, they will probably have run everyone else into bankruptcy by that point.

sounds like a GREAT idea!

and then you’ll have all of your boat ramps, invasive species fixes, and all of the DNR funding your little heart desires…

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hmmm down here they drive decent vehicles but, they cram people in them. Maybe the volunteers get to use the vehicle for their FREE time they are putting into doing the survey for educational purposes for the DNR.

I guess Im at the point where I do not care anymore what they do as long as they keep doing what they are doing. Everyone that is complaining… With out the DNR you probably wouldn’t be catching ANY fish.

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Ive never seen volunteers anywhere, just interns.. And they get paid… And everytime Ive seen one at a landing they are alone and have a vehicle.
My buddy interned for a while years back, he got paid good, new truck, gas card, uniforms, lodging etc… He worked 2 years after internship, he will tell you horror stories of the money wasted. He is in construction now, they cut his position out because of funding???

As you all know, I am 100% against all wasteful spending and tax increases without justification.

I was just trying to think as a taxer. Clearly, I am not very good at it.

I am not sure what the answers are….We are in for some troubling times unless the elected ones understand that we have to spend less that we take in and allocate some funds – for a rainy day. We are living on borrowed dollars.

People that have done this over the past 10 years are now in foreclosure, etc.

Governments are on their way….

It has to stop somewhere.

Dog

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As you all know, I am 100% against all wasteful spending and tax increases without justification.

I was just trying to think as a taxer. Clearly, I am not very good at it.

I am not sure what the answers are….We are in for some troubling times unless the elected ones understand that we have to spend less that we take in and allocate some funds – for a rainy day. We are living on borrowed dollars.

People that have done this over the past 10 years are now in foreclosure, etc.

Governments are on their way….

It has to stop somewhere.

Dog

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trying not to sound like some tinfoil hat wearing fellow…i think we as a whole are in for a huge surprise in the state of this country within the next 3 years or so.

not saying total anarchy, but i have a feeling some bad stuff is going to happen. The writing is kind of on the wall right now….

Sadly I think I’ll see the 2nd revolution in my lifetime. This time we aren’t leaving for a new country.

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Sadly I think I’ll see the 2nd revolution in my lifetime. This time we aren’t leaving for a new country.

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Kooty, how many “fronts” do you think there will be in the next revolution? Kind of scary to imagine just how divided this country could become. There are so many people that are fed up with the government doing too much, and probably just as many that expect the government to do more

Minnesota that I love…. a land of 10,000 lakes!
Minnesota that I struggle with….. a land of 10,000 regulations.

Enough is enough. IMHO

No to any new taxes, fees liscense fee inreases etc. The voters of this state just recently voted within the last 2 years for the legacy amendment.

When we the voters voted for or against this amendment it was being pushed hard by various groups of people who were saying that this would give the DNR the funding that it required to run or operate. Now with that being said were we lied to once again as hunters and anglers like we were when the lottery proceeds were supposed to be used for outdoor and envrinmental purposes.

If the DNR and the people who are running this state want why dont they just take 1 or 2 millinon from this money like we were led to believe and give it to the fish and game fund.

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No to any new taxes, fees liscense fee inreases etc. The voters of this state just recently voted within the last 2 years for the legacy amendment.

When we the voters voted for or against this amendment it was being pushed hard by various groups of people who were saying that this would give the DNR the funding that it required to run or operate. Now with that being said were we lied to once again as hunters and anglers like we were when the lottery proceeds were supposed to be used for outdoor and envrinmental purposes.

If the DNR and the people who are running this state want why dont they just take 1 or 2 millinon from this money like we were led to believe and give it to the fish and game fund.

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actually, that is the last thing we want, and as much as i hate that amendment, it did have some protection written into it – thank god….

it is not to be used for general funding of the dnr, nor is it to replace any funds received from the general fund. it is only to be used on approved projects. (that is where i have disagreements, as to what should be approved.)

Tax everyone else but me

No public boat ramps.

Less game wardens to watch for the illegal dumping of carcesses on public property.

Empty Red Lake of all the walleyes, only this time we won’t restock it because there will be no funds available.

Empty Red lake of all its crappies who needs some goverment official to tell me how many I can keep anyway.(I think we already took care of this one, and it was not Native americans)

Lets close all the State Parks

Close all the public restrooms, we can use plastic bags and bring it home, like we do for our pets.

We can let the comorants thrive on leech lake.

No more trails for 4 wheelers.

No more groomed trails for skiing,snow shoeing,snomobiling

Close all hiking tails along the northshore,we could just walk along the side of the Highway.

No more slot limits we won’t have anyone to keep track anyway.

Phew

Theres alot more.

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Tax everyone else but me

No public boat ramps.
Less game wardens to watch for the illegal dumping of carcesses on public property.
Empty Red Lake of all the walleyes, only this time we won’t restock it because there will be no funds available.
Empty Red lake of all its crappies who needs some goverment official to tell me how many I can keep anyway.(I think we already took care of this one, and it was not Native americans)
Lets close all the State Parks
Close all the public restrooms, we can use plastic bags and bring it home, like we do for our pets.
We can let the comorants thrive on leech lake.
No more trails for 4 wheelers.
No more groomed trails for skiing,snow shoeing,snomobiling
Close all hiking tails along the northshore,we could just walk along the side of the Highway.
No more slot limits we won’t have anyone to keep track anyway.

Phew
Theres alot more.

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I thought thats what the 900 million they get already was for?