Tell Your Legislator to Back Off!! 1

Last year during the 2009 legislative session sportsmen and women stepped up to the plate and agreed to a two year 10% rate increase on their licenses to help cushion the blow from the massive $30 million dollar general fund reduction the state enacted for WDFW. To thanks us for our efforts and willingness to pay a price to enjoy our favorite family past time the state legislator is proposing further cuts of up to $10 million to the WDFW.  Enough is enough!!!

These additional cuts will lead to more layoffs in enforcement, closure of up to 5 more hatcheries that would directly affect the fisheries for salmon in Grays Harbor, on the coast, and in Puget Sound. In addition to these cuts, up to 60% of the budget for enhancement and salmon recovery could be cut. How can we continue to provide quality fisheries for our citizens, generate tourism dollars and grow the states tax base if we continue to cut from the WDFW? 

I for one am tired of paying a high price for these people to go to Olympia and be so fiscally irresponsible. They spend too much money when they have a surplus instead of doing what you and I do and putting a little away for a rainy day. Did they really think they were going to have a surplus forever? Why weren't they as responsible as you and I? Now Joe Fisherman has to pay the price once again. When will we get this $40 million in money from the general fund to flow back to WDFW? How much higher a price will you and I have to pay? Is that price getting so high that you will quit fishing and generating revenue for the state?  Will people continue to come to the State of Washington and spend money here to fish?

It seems to me the state would want to get as much of the billions of dollars that recreational fisherman spend each year to be spent here in the State of Washington. Wouldn't that generate some needed revenue? I here the "old timers" remarking that Washington used to be the salmon capital. Wouldn't the state coffers be better off if we could return to those days? If we keep cutting WDFW we will never get there. Recreational fishing could be a leading industry in Washington if the state would embrace it. Unfortunatley, they continue to look at you and I as little more than a side note.

 We need to make our voices heard, you can email your legislator and the governor.  I've already done it, join me in the fight.