The Outdoor Line Forum

I would much rather be posting about a successful day out on the water fishing but unfortunately the legislature is in session and we have to address some of this non-sense. The voters of the State of Washington passed Referendum 45 establishhing a Fish and Wildlife Commission. Outdoorsmen and sporting enthusiasts were tired of being ignored by decision makers and out of that frustration we saw this historic referendum pass. Now, just when it seems we finally have a commission that will at least listen to us, the governor, house and senate want to take it all away. They say this has to be done for budgetary reasons even though this would only save less than 2/10 of 1 percent of the budget shortfall. I say make your voices be heard and let them know exactly how you feel.

Here is a voter voice sent by CCA and a link to your representative.

SB 5669 and HB 1850 were introduced today in the Washington State legislature and would hijack your ability to influence important issues impacting our fisheries resources. SB 5669 and HB 1850 are identical Governor’s request bills to merge three State Agencies; Fish & Wildlife, Parks, as well the Recreation and Conservation Office (RCO). More importantly, they "neuter" the Fish and Wildlife Commission by striping them of their policy making authority, as well as their ability to appoint the Director of Fish and Wildlife.

The Senate bill has been scheduled for a Public Hearing in the Senate Natural Resources Committee on Feb. 10th at 1:30 PM. in the John A Cherberg Building Hearing Room #2. Please plan on attending.

CCA is adamantly opposed to this end run on Referendum 45 that passed in 1995 by an overwhelming vote of the people. Referendum 45 should have sent a clear message to the legislature and the Governor, that the public wanted a citizens commission that was no longer going to tolerate business as usual when it comes to managing our State’s natural resources.

SB 5669 and HB 1850 would make the Fish and Wildlife Commission "Advisory Only," essentially turning the Commission into the Fish and "Get a Life" Commission. Qualified Commission candidates will no longer seek to serve on a commission with no actual say in the management of our fish and wildlife resources. This power grab will turn the clock back on our fish and wildlife management as decisions will once again be based on politics and not science. Control of our natural resources will be held by those with the deepest pockets.

CCA is urging you to contact the Governor and your three legislators immediately, urging them to oppose SB 5669 and HB 1850. The passage of this bill will cripple your ability to influence the process. Important recreational hunting and fishing issues will be swallowed up by this mega agency. Hunters, fisherman and conservationist will lose their voices! The proposed merger has been sold as an opportunity to streamline government and save tax dollars, but it is unlikely to do either.

Again, SB 5669 has been scheduled for a Public Hearing in the Senate Natural Resources Committee on Feb. 10th at 1:30 PM. in the John A Cherberg Building Hearing Room #2. We encourage you to send an email and attend this hearing to sign in as being opposed to the legislation or testify in opposition.

We need you to take immediate action against this measure. We cannot afford to allow this to gain any traction in the legislative process. Use the link below to contact your legislators now!



Click the link below to log in and send your message:
http://www.votervoice.net/link/target/c ... GyfiR.aspx

Thanks for posting the information. This is a very easy process to submit a response to your local legislators. It takes about three minutes. If you care about the future of fishing and hunting in Washington and want a citizen commission to continue making decisions instead of Olympia take a few minutes and contact your legislators.

Now sign PSA's

Subject: Re: Action Alert! Senate bill to gut WDFW Commission again!


Please forward this link to everyone in your chapters, friends, family, hunters, snowmobilers, and anyone that has anything to do with our outdoors. Sign on immediately. This happens on Thursday!!!!!


http://www.votervoice.net/Groups/PSA/Ad ... &SiteID=-1 After signing in select other in the box.

SB 5669 and HB 1850 were introduced in the Washington State legislature. These bills would silence your recreational fishing voice for you and your kids. They will deem the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Commission powerless and make them advisory only. The WDFW Commission was established by a vote of the people by Referendum 45. We voted this in so we could participate and have a say in our fisheries. We fought long and hard to get to this enacted and even harder to get recreational friendly commissioners on the board. We have finally reached that point and now bureaucrats want that power back. You no longer will be able to influence important issues in our fisheries resources. The Commission would no longer be able to appoint the Director of Fish and Wildlife. For those of you that remember, past directors were not usually recreational friendly. Do we really want to go back to that?
SB 5669 and HB 1850 are the same bills as the Governor’s request bills merging three state Agencies-Fish and Wildlife, Parks Department, and the Recreational and Conservation Office. The Commission would no longer be able to make policies for the people of Washington, whom own the resources. Big government will take control of your resources and decision making. There is also the possibility our resources will be hijacked by special interest groups. Haven’t you had enough of this? This will set our fisheries back 20 years.
The commission works for peanuts compared to any other agency in Washington state. Merging them together in the name of saving money is ludicrous and is smoke and mirrors.
Please join PSA at this very important meeting. The Senate bill has been scheduled for a Public Hearing in the Senate Natural Resources Committee on Feb. 10th at 1:30 PM. in the John A Cherberg Building Hearing Room #2 in Olympia. Please wear your PSA or CCA attire in opposition to this bill.

Please forward this on to your friends and family, hunters, snowmobilers, and all recreational and outdoor enthusiasts as they will all be affected.


Please plan on attending and wear your PSA/CCA attire. I really need you now! This is now or never time!!!! Please sign in opposing of this bill at this very important meeting.
Thanks
Ron Garner

Here is a link to our podcast from this past weekend, listen to the Tobeck and Tony Floor segment for more:

http://www.theoutdoorline.com/Podcasts/8.aspx

Done. Sent mine in.


Gotta fight to fish

Jerm wrote:Done. Sent mine in.


Gotta fight to fish

Thanks Jerm, well said.

No problem.


It's my duty as a sport fisherman to support those that help me to keep fishing.


Glad there's guys like Ron Garner and the Outdoorline staff.

Well I sent mine out and got some cheesedick relpy from Dunshee. It basically said that he doesn't like the bill but that he has to support it out of respect for our governor. Looks like I won't be voting for his chicken ass anymore.

mitch184 wrote:Well I sent mine out and got some cheesedick relpy from Dunshee. It basically said that he doesn't like the bill but that he has to support it out of respect for our governor. Looks like I won't be voting for his chicken ass anymore.

What a joke!!! He needs to be reminded that he was no elected to just push through the governor's agenda. He was elected by and works for the taxpayer and when the governor's agenda is bad for the State of Washington then he needs to stand up to it. Pure cowardice!

The Senate bill has been scheduled for a Public Hearing in the Senate Natural Resources Committee on Feb. 10th at 1:30 PM. in the John A Cherberg Building Hearing Room #2. Please plan on attending