AGFD announcement regarding budget

[CouesWhitetail]

AGFD has asked me to post this announcement about their budget. I haven't yet reviewed the proposed budget, but AGFD is very concerned about a shortfall of funding habitat projects and employee raises. AGFD is asking hunters to contact state legislators and to attend a hearing at the legislature. That meeting is Jan 12, so time is short. Please read the attached file for further information.

 

Amanda

Budget___08___09_Alert__2_.doc

[DesertBull]

Why do we have to go through this friggin crap every friggin year? If it's not the G&F budget, it's the Heritage Fund. How about stop paying for criminal tresspassers health care, education, and ESL classes?

[coues7]

Here is my email that I sent to everyone on the list:

 

As an Arizona Resident and Avid Outdoorsman I fully support funding the Game and Fish budget request. As a publicly elected official I hope that your vote will be representative of the people of Arizona and for the future generations of Arizonan's to enjoy the outdoors……namely our children. The budge for the Arizona Game and Fish Department as a rule, does not receive any General Fund money. The Department’s primary funding is from the purchase of licenses and permits by hunters and anglers. As a purchaser of such licenses I fully support the budget request's of the Arizona Game and Fish

 

Regards

 

As a side note I have to agree with Desertbull.....and I'm not so sure about my last statement of the email since who knows what the heck they do with our money half the time.....especially with these fee increase and CRAPPY hunts with 15 hunter on every ridge

[mattys281]

Why do we have to go through this friggin crap every friggin year? If it's not the G&F budget, it's the Heritage Fund. How about stop paying for criminal tresspassers health care, education, and ESL classes?

 

 

We have to go through this crap because the majority of our state's populace are condo-dwellers in Scottsdale who don't give a rat's butt about hunting, or even going outside for that matter (unless it's to a golf course). If you follow the links in the article, it's very easy to track down a phone number and e-mail address for your district's legislator. We don't mind listening to you vent, but it'll be more productive if you direct it to them. Rebecca Rios of district 23 just got a page and a half long letter from me.

[DesertBull]

Why do we have to go through this friggin crap every friggin year? If it's not the G&F budget, it's the Heritage Fund. How about stop paying for criminal tresspassers health care, education, and ESL classes?

 

 

We have to go through this crap because the majority of our state's populace are condo-dwellers in Scottsdale who don't give a rat's butt about hunting, or even going outside for that matter (unless it's to a golf course). If you follow the links in the article, it's very easy to track down a phone number and e-mail address for your district's legislator. We don't mind listening to you vent, but it'll be more productive if you direct it to them. Rebecca Rios of district 23 just got a page and a half long letter from me.

 

 

I sent my responses to the appropriate people BEFORE posting that rant.

[mattys281]

 

 

I sent my responses to the appropriate people BEFORE posting that rant.

 

Good. Hopefully everyone else will too. If you want to be heard, then make some noise.

[IHunt2live]

I'm not that good of a writer so I was thinking someone sould write a formal letter that we could copy and send. That way you might get more people willing to do that then sit down and try to write a good argument. In these types of cases I've learned that quantity of letters are better the quality. just and idea to hord the mailbox with our view. Maybe some at the g&f sould do it.

[coues7]

Ihunt2live.....copy what I put in my post.....they don't need a big letter.....just a quick how you feel.....that's what I wrote.....just copy and paste it into an email

 

I also called Paula Abouds office as well as Jim Waring.

[DesertBull]

If they take $1 from the G&F budget, they lose $18M in federal matching funds. How much brain power does it take to know that is a bad decision?

 

On a side note, who can see the irony in the G&F asking for our help when it comes to them losing a boat load of money, but didn't want to hear from us when we told them we prefer them not to issue more deer tags? They even asked Amanda to post it on her website, but they didn't want anything to do with the survey that she and the ADA put together on deer herd managment.

[mattys281]

This is one of the ones I wrote. Feel free to edit, copy or whatever if you like.

 

To Whom It May Concern:

 

I am writing to you in regard to the ’07 Legislative Budget Proposal. As I’m sure you are aware, this proposal, if passed, will cut the Arizona Game and Fish Departments budget to less than half of what has been requested. As a sportsman, I believe this would be disastrous for many reasons.

 

First, Game and Fish is responsible for managing our wildlife resources. As our state continues to see a population increase, we are also going to see an increase in the number of people who use these resources by hunting and fishing. As a result, the Department will be taxed to a greater degree to handle this demand, which would necessitate an increase in their available resources.

 

Next, as part of their managing function, the Game and Fish Department also acts as a law enforcement agency, both on our public lands and on our waters. As we see more boaters and water enthusiasts each year, not to mention ATV riders, this again is placing a larger burden on them. It is a burden that they must have the funding to meet if they are to ensure safe and enjoyable outdoor activities for all of us.

 

Lastly, the Department is responsible for initiating numerous programs that are aimed at improving our wildlife herds and the habitat that supports them. With the loss of range that our animals suffer as a result of development combined with poor browsing conditions as a result of years of drought, we can scarcely afford to cut funding of programs that are aimed at battling these conditions.

 

In closing, I urge you, on behalf of myself and sportsmen throughout Arizona, to not support any budget that short changes our Game and Fish Department. Thank you for your time.

 

Sincerely,

[GameHauler]

Thanks coues7

I copied, pasted, and mailed. hope everyone takes the time.

Mike

[coues7]

Desertbull......YOU HAVE A GREAT POINT.....I am glad you pointed that out. When it comes to money the AZGFD WANTS OUR HELP but when it comes to our opinions the AZGFD DOES NOT WANT OUR OPINIONS.....how Ironic.....thanks AZGFD

 

 

 

AMANDA.....IF I MAY.....WHO ASKED YOU TO POST THE LETTER? I'd like to send them an email or get on the phone with them......I think with us taking the time to send out letters and make phone calls to the legislative reps we should make a phone call to whoever asked Amanda to post that up......SO PLEASE AMANDA PLEASE LET US KNOW WHO WITHIN THE AZGFD ASKED YOU TO POST THAT LETTER.

 

Thanks

[missedagain]

IMO the g$f not recieving all of the funding that they want from a general fund could be a good thing. They already blatantly ignore the wants of arizona sportsmen just image what they will do when they do not need our money

[JVS]

Speaking of comments...I have commented probably more than the G&F wants to hear. But the fact is, they ask. I have NEVER recevied any feedback, not even a boo. Why do they ask? Due prosses I guess. If I comment, I expect an answer, even if it is in the form of an QnA, because I'm sure plenty of us ask the same questions. Has anyone received any feedback on comments? Especially that friggin wolf crap.

[Rembrant]

You guys are wiggin'!!

Let me give you a clue. Amanda is smarter than about 20 of us all put together. She is very familiar with wildlife management and the workings of the Az Game Dept, as well as other game departments.

It is Amanda that is using her site, time space and energies to help the Az G&F get the word out on this issue.

This is an important issue. This is one of those issues that WILL easily affect the future of hunting in Arizona.

The Az. G&F Dept, is not the bad guy here. The Governor and representitives that the non-informed and ignorant people of the great state of Calizona elected into office are now looking to rip-off a well organized and effecient Game Department that has enough forsight to fund itself for the future of OUR hunting privelidges.

Apparently they don't think that habitat improvement and wildlife management is as important as what they want to spend the money on (and maybe it's not). But the Game dept. has its act together (in spite of what a lot of people on this site think), and this is money that is coming from us, the hunters, and earmarked for our continuing hunting future - not the governer's plans.

What you are saying about the G&F not listening to the survey and now wanting help has some truth to it but is largely SPIN, narrow-mindedly focused on selfishness and pales in comparison to the importance of this issue at hand.

If you don't understand what is going on and who the bad guy is, then quit typing long enough to go and find out what this issue is and what it will do to our hunting future.

The Game and Fish bashing that goes on here on this site is deploreable and detrimental to what we all really believe to be good and right.

WE are the Game and Fish.

Devided we fall.

Do the right thing.

Mike