Please Support the License Fee Increase

As most of you know, the DNR is looking to get a license fee increase. It has been several years since the last increase. The DNR is 100% funded on license fees and will be staring down some large budget cuts on an already lean workforce. I volunteer on the DNR Bass Workgroup and the folks there say the next two weeks are critical. Please do myself and our state a favor and contact your legislature. INFO

Here are some contacts below:

Speaker of the House Kurt Daudt
[email protected]

Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka
http://www.senate.mn/members/member_emailform.php?mem_id=1169&ls=90

Senate Minority Leader Tom Bakk
http://www.senate.mn/members/member_emailform.php?mem_id=1003&ls=90

Senator Bill Ingebrigtsen
Chair, Environment & Nat. Res. Finance
[email protected]

Senator David Tomassoni
Minority Lead, Environment & Nat. Res. Finance
http://www.senate.mn/members/member_emailform.php?mem_id=1064&ls=90

House Majority Leader Joyce Peppin
[email protected]

House Minority Leader Melissa Hortman
[email protected]

Representative Dan Fabian
Chair, Environment & Nat. Res. Policy & Finance
[email protected]

Representative Rick Hansen
Minority Lead, Environment & Nat. Res.
Policy & Finance
[email protected]

Otto

Really no support needed. They will go up unless they add something to the bill the Gov doesn’t like and veto’s it.

But it’s good to get the word out for the folks that want to protect themselves from future increases by buying a life time license.

Correct me if wrong:
Boat fee increase
Atv fee increase
Snowmobile fee increase
Hunting fee increase
Fishing fee increase
Were is the money going to be spent?
Does the fee increase stay with the DNR?
Questions to ask?

Here is what they want in addition to fishing and hunting fee increase, adds over 130.00 a year to my fees.

Attachments:

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Maybe we should hear about those budget cuts.
This is not the year for increases while not knowing how bad of a hit the federal government is going to come down on the states regarding conservation efforts. The 2018 proposed budget is not out yet for the new fed adminastration and from what I see the states conservation offices are going to get hit hard.

Thanks for the tip and I totally support the license fee increases.

In fact, I would gladly pay even MORE if I knew the extra money would fund only increased enforcement. Currently, poaching and game law violations are rampant and out of control in Minnesota. This is because of the lack of resources for PROPER enforcement. Even if we had 2X the number of conservation officers, we would be short.

For me, the license is the cheapest part of outdoor recreation and considering the constant increase in costs, I completely support a fee increase. Outdoors people also should know that we are one of the few recreational groups that pay their own way in terms of funding through license fees.

Grouse

I think we should double, triple, QUADRUPLE the invasive species inspectors found at boat landings. Give them ALL a hot wash station.
Operational 24/7 – 365.

Imagine how sweet it would be to never have to clean your own trailer or boat of weeds. To have a guy or gal at the landing that is hearing every big fish story and sharing it with the next guy.
A hot water wash station in December-march at everts to wash the salt and grime from the trailer…”hey, can you wash my truck quick, did you ask that guy where he caught fish today?”

What a world it would be.

Will this increase help fund the unimaginably horrible zebra mussels from killing all our walleyes? Or the weeds choking off my swimming beach?

I sure hope they spend this money wisely, ah heck no need to be concerned. Money well spent boys.
It costs me a few dollars, maybe pennies per trip for what I pay in licenses each year.

If you want to pay more then Donate (like you do your time)… Once fees go up they NEVER EVER WILL GO DOWN. Government cuts are a good thing overall, unfortunately great expenditures like the DNR will be hurt with overall cuts I bet. BUT like everyone that pays taxes, there are times we compromise and adjust spending based on income, the government needs to do this as well.

Grouse- saying the fees are cheap compared to the gear is valid, but your exact thought on PROPER enforcement would be more efficient than paying for billboard signs about AIS that make zero sense unless you already understand the AIS battle…. spend the money efficiently and I would be more supportive of paying more.

FishBlood&RiverMud wrote:

I think we should double, triple, QUADRUPLE the invasive species inspectors found at boat landings. Give them ALL a hot wash station.
Operational 24/7 – 365.

Imagine how sweet it would be to never have to clean your own trailer or boat of weeds. To have a guy or gal at the landing that is hearing every big fish story and sharing it with the next guy.
A hot water wash station in December-march at everts to wash the salt and grime from the trailer…”hey, can you wash my truck quick, did you ask that guy where he caught fish today?”

What a world it would be.

Will this increase help fund the unimaginably horrible zebra mussels from killing all our walleyes? Or the weeds choking off my swimming beach?

I sure hope they spend this money wisely, ah heck no need to be concerned. Money well spent boys.
It costs me a few dollars, maybe pennies per trip for what I pay in licenses each year.

haha I hear ya. Just remember many “weekend warriors” out there like myself that look at the fees vs their minimal fishing time and consider it “fair”.

The increases will go through, as certain as death and more taxes.

Protect yourself from future increases by checking into the lifetime license.

Al Linder
Tony Roach
and I did.

As the above do, please do support the fee increase.

http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/licensedollarsatwork/index.html

As an added note the Trump administration is proposing an $80 million cut to the AIS programs.

Brian Klawitter wrote:

The increases will go through, as certain as death and more taxes.

Protect yourself from future increases by checking into the lifetime license.

Al Linder
Tony Roach
and I did.

As the above do, please do support the fee increase.

BK- When I look for a lifetime fishing license I can’t seem to find it on the website? I have checked this year and 3 years ago as well. Any ideas?

MN DNR Lifetime License

TripleA wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Brian Klawitter wrote:</div>
The increases will go through, as certain as death and more taxes.

Protect yourself from future increases by checking into the lifetime license.

Al Linder
Tony Roach
and I did.

As the above do, please do support the fee increase.

BK- When I look for a lifetime fishing license I can’t seem to find it on the website? I have checked this year and 3 years ago as well. Any ideas?

ottomatica wrote:

MN DNR Lifetime License

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>TripleA wrote:</div>

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Brian Klawitter wrote:</div>
The increases will go through, as certain as death and more taxes.

Protect yourself from future increases by checking into the lifetime license.

Al Linder
Tony Roach
and I did.

As the above do, please do support the fee increase.

BK- When I look for a lifetime fishing license I can’t seem to find it on the website? I have checked this year and 3 years ago as well. Any ideas?

Thanks, I wish It showed up as being available on the DNR license purchase screen with every other license that’s available. “efficiency” comes to mind. weird.

I would gladly pay more to fish in MN and catch a few more eyes, I already buy a walleye stamp.
I don’t want see more fishing piers on sloughs! I don’t need a ramp on a slough.
Tell me how the DNR will manage Mille lacs / take care of the MN Moose
We’res the WIFM ? Bike trails? Not a chance.

Brian Klawitter wrote:

http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/licensedollarsatwork/index.html

As an added note the Trump administration is proposing an $80 million cut to the AIS programs.

I don’t know if that’s a rah! rah! or not but guese who gets preasure to supplement the lack of federal funding for the DNR involvement. Guess who wins to get more funding from us In Mn. ? Who gets to pay for that?

Like I say, what are these budget cuts floated around to scare us. Who picks the demise of law enforcement over the introduction of musky to a lake that is not known to produce musky or even walleye that can sustain their own exsistance.

I’m not against paying a little more for a license, but if it means that they sell fewer licenses then they may actually lose revenue.

Everything you would like to know about MN Lifetime licenses

Missed your post Otto, thanks.

Someplace on the DNR site it shows the licenses going down the first year after the increase, then rising…(as people forget LOL).

These people aren’t dumbies. The study they did just before the last increase cost us $650k. The DNR asked for $25 then but were told they could have $22. and could come back for more when they needed it.

As mentioned earlier. Buy a lifetime license and recommend to everyone else they should support the fee increases.

Why fight the lifetime license? Be done with it because we know whats coming down the road!
There is a much broader picture than licensing that affects the DNR.
If one may think the DNR is self sustained show me how that is.

ottomatica wrote:

The DNR is 100% funded on license fees

Not exactly. Funds come from many sources. Approx 30% come from licenses and registration fees. In a year where the state has a one billion dollar tax surplus, I’ll pass on any License (tax) increases. The state should consider sending some of that money over to the DNR instead. (Or appropriate more funding from the General fund.)

I’d like to see more money come out of the Legacy fund. After all, that money was suppose to go to the DNR when it was first proposed. Same story with the lottery.

(The DNR budgeting is every 2 years. This info from last budget cycle.)

http://files.dnr.state.mn.us/aboutdnr/budget/fy14-15/budget_from.pdf

-J.

The fw and I just mailed our lifetime applications in a couple of days ago. For some reason she keeps telling me I have expensive hobbies. I think she might be right, but I love my hobbies! Especially introducing them to the fw!

Why fight the lifetime license? Be done with it because we know whats coming down the road!
There is a much broader picture than licensing that affects the DNR.
If one may think the DNR is self sustained show me how that is.

Yep, throw money at it.

I read someplace (don’t ask me where) that 17% of taxes collected could be traced either directly or indirectly to outdoor activities.

Wish we had it in Wi !! You guys have a good thing with that. (Lifetime license).

Until the DNR can clean house and show they are running a lean ship they will get no support from me for increase on license fees. I hedged against increases with buying my wife and myself the lifetime license about 5 years ago. I also do not understand why we have to have a trout stamp to fish trout. I thought my license said I could go fishing??? DNR needs a major clean up IMHO

Mocha wrote:

Until the DNR can clean house and show they are running a lean ship they will get no support from me for increase on license fees. I hedged against increases with buying my wife and myself the lifetime license about 5 years ago. I also do not understand why we have to have a trout stamp to fish trout. I thought my license said I could go fishing??? DNR needs a major clean up IMHO

Any business who is not adding more value with the same dollar is dying a little each year.

The government just demands more money, and apparently spends copious amounts to ensure they’ll actually get more when they demand it. Imagine if they put the same effort in finding ways to do more with less. Lol.

I find this trend where more and more outdoors people seem to see the DNR as “the enemy” to be very distressing.

FishBlood&RiverMud wrote:

The government just demands more money, and apparently spends copious amounts to ensure they’ll actually get more when they demand it. Imagine if they put the same effort in finding ways to do more with less. Lol.

Do more with less. I love this one. With the cost of nearly everything rising, I’d love to the people who propose this try to actually be in charge and implement it.

Even with massive gains in efficiency, it’s almost impossible to provide the same products/services at a lower cost over any significant period of time because ALL costs rise.

I laugh at every CEO who tries to BS his way out of a bad earnings quarter or year by pitching cost cutting measures. You can’t cost cut your way to profitability, that’s just BusinessBS from someone who’s proving they don’t understand finance or economics.

Efficiency and cost containment are necessary and effective, but eventually you have to have revenue. Remember all those dot.com statups back in the 1990s? Yeah, it doesn’t do you any good to cut costs 20% if your balance sheet shows you running a $20m loss for the year.

Every year the cost of doing business rises, be that for the DNR or any other org or person. Eventually, only an increase in revenue will allow any org to survive.

Personally, I think the DNR does a tremendous job overall and I totally get that it takes money to do this. I don’t agree with everything they do, but unlike so many these days who seem to attribute this to malice on the DNR’s part, what I’ve seen is more indicative of the old truism that you can’t please all the people, all the time.

Grouse