Effect of budget crisis on G&P and our sports?

[10 90 J2]

I know the state is in dire straights, but something I saw in the LJS today concerns me a little bit.

Game and Parks is almost entirely cash-funded--meaning that permit sales make up the majority of the funding, along with federal grants, and a few other various and sundry sources. Your state income and sales taxes contribute very, very little to G&P.

So, in theory, state budget cutting shouldn't really affect G&P right?

The governor is proposing transferring money from cash funds into the general fund to help bolster the state budget.

So, does that mean that your permit money could be used to make up for other budget shortfalls in state government?

I think this needs to be watched closely...

[tstevens]

If this happens I will then hunt and fish out of state completely.

[10 90 J2]

The article did not mention the Game or Parks Cash Funds specifically, just that transfers from cash funds was an option that will be considered.

The special session starts Wednesday.

Something to keep an eye on, and make your opinion known should such transfers end up being considered.

Nebraska Legislature - Find Your Senator

[tmn515]

I was thinking the exact same thing this morning while reading the paper.

Troy

[fish-n-son]

Thanks for the post. I am not sure what to make of this.

Here is a link to the 2008 Annual Report from the NGPC to the Governer. It explains the funding sources and expenditures for the NGPC. The file is approx 50MB, so if you do open it, go get a cup of coffee.... you'll have time.

http://www.ngpc.state.ne.us/admin/08AnnualReport.pdf

I can't imagine the gov "stealing" money from the game funds, but there was approx 14% of the 2008 budget that was from the general fund that amounted to a little more than $9.5M. I can see that getting hit hard. Incidentally, that was about $2M more than the fisheries budget.

Let's hope for the best. Maybe there will be more specific information to follow.

[bassinoutwest]

not sure if this is relative to NE...but have seen several articles outlining that in 'these troubled economic times' it seems there's been an uptick in fishing license sales....nothing NE specific...but an observation/article from a state/two around the country...

[fish-n-son]

Thanks for your thoughtful insight Daryl:

In Reply to your post Effect of budget crisis on G&P and our sports?

I am not going to proclaim that I am an expert on budget matters nor Nebraska politics, but let me offer a few comments on things I have seen in this thread.

I believe there are legal issues involved if there was to be a transfer of game cash funds (i.e. hunting and fishing permit funds). I am not sure that can be done.

Almost all of the general fund money that the Game and Parks Commission receives from the legislature is used in our Parks system. I would imagine that those funds likely would be impacted and I would imagine that would impact our Parks system.

Yes, our fishing permit sales and I believe our hunting permit sales have been very strong this year, up from previous years.

I do not know for sure what is going to happen, not sure what any of this means. I suppose we will all find out in the next few weeks. In general I would tell you that you live in America, you can and should keep an eye on your government all the time.

Daryl Bauer
Fisheries Outreach Program Manager
Nebraska Game & Parks Commission
daryl.bauer@nebraska.gov
http://barbsandbacklashes.wordpress.com/

P.S. Feel free to share this message with others if you wish.

[jabNE]

Amen, Daryl.
Always, Always, Always keep an eye on the government.
Jim

[luvsitall]

Originally Posted by jabNE

Amen, Daryl.
Always, Always, Always keep an eye on the government.
Jim

they have more eyes than we do!

[bassinoutwest]

on another note, perhaps this also helps with 'recruitment'...another pressing problem for outdoors people and professionals alike...

[Scott Eveland]

Game and Parks offers budget proposal to legislative committee

Game and Parks offers budget proposal to legislative committee

By JOE DUGGAN / Lincoln Journal Star | Posted: Friday, November 6, 2009 5:35 pm
Should all of Nebraska's 87 state parks and recreation areas remain open?
That's a question the director of the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission wants lawmakers to consider in light of another $3.6 million in budget cuts over the next two years.
"We have to make a decision whether we want to run 30 parks really well or 87 parks all mediocre," Rex Amack said Friday in a hearing before the Legislature's Appropriations Committee.
The hearing was part of the special session Gov. Dave Heineman called to address a $334 million shortfall in the state's two-year budget.
Game and Parks has a $58.2 million budget, 80 percent of which is derived from cash funds. The funds consist of permit fees on hunters, anglers and park users. Those funds, in turn, qualify the state for matching federal funds for fish and wildlife habitat restoration.
The rest of the budget, about $11.6 million, comes from the state's general fund. Most of the general fund money goes to parks.
On Friday, Pat Cole, the commission's budget administrator, presented senators with a way to meet the governor's proposal to cut the agency's budget by $1.2 million this year and $2.4 million next year.
The commission's proposal seeks a deeper cut to the general fund appropriation in exchange for increased authority to spend cash funds.
If the governor's across-the-board cut were adopted, the commission would lose out on $1 million to $3 million in federal matching funds, Cole said. The federal money comes from excise taxes on firearms, ammunition and fishing equipment.
State law protects the commission's cash funds for fish and wildlife. So they could not be moved to the general fund, as the governor has suggested doing with check-off accounts funded by farmers and ranchers.
Amack told senators the agency sold 1.4 million hunting, fishing and park permits last year, so outdoor recreation is clearly important to Nebraskans.
During the budget approved by senators last session, the agency voluntarily cut $5 million. It did so by forfeiting 21 positions that had been left unfilled and by sharply reducing services at many state parks and recreation areas.
A total of 504 employees remain at the agency.
The director said he's concerned further cuts to park maintenance would come with risks to public safety.
"People go to a state park and they have expectations," Amack said. "We're not meeting them."
Reach Joe Duggan at 473-7239 or jduggan@journalstar.com.

[Scott Eveland]

From the article:

State law protects the commission's cash funds for fish and wildlife. So they could not be moved to the general fund, as the governor has suggested doing with check-off accounts funded by farmers and ranchers.

I guess that answers the question as to whether or not NGPC cash funds could be moved to the general fund. I had concerns about that, but this makes me feel a little better.

[MA Machine]

Thanks for the posts! I got pretty concerned when they started talking about Beef and Pork Check off money being thrown into the general fund. Luckily G & P had the foresight to block that years ago. OF course nothing is forever safe with the stroke of a pen.