CCA Merger Bill Update

[Salmonhawk]

Lot's of breaking news on the show tomorrow as well, make sure you tune in from 6-9 on 710 ESPN.


WDFW Merger bill passes out of Senate Natural Resources Committee on a slim 4-3 vote.

Earlier this week, the Senate Natural Resources and Marine Environment Committee approved an amended version of SB 5669. The revised bill, SSB 5669, would merge WDFW, Parks and the Recreation Coordination Office (RCO) into a super agency called the Department of Fish, Wildlife and Recreation. The bill now moves on to the Senate Ways and Means Committee. Several significant changes were made to the original bill, but the substitute bill still has many crucial deficiencies.

The most important change for recreational anglers was the Committee’s decision to amend SB 5669 to retain the Fish and Wildlife Commission’s current policy and rulemaking authority. You will recall, the original bill made the Commission “advisory” only. A huge turnout from members of CCA and other organizations at the Senate Committee hearing and thousands of emails to legislators helped make this change possible.

Despite this change, CCA continues to remain very concerned about the impact the substitute bill would have on WDFW and how it significantly limits the Commission’s authority to appoint the Director of Fish and Wildlife. Under SSB 5669, the Governor would select a Secretary of the new Department from a list of 5 candidates jointly submitted by the Fish and Wildlife Commission and the Parks Commission. The Governor’s nominee would also require Senate confirmation, which gives the Senate veto power of the appointment.

Without the authority for the Commission to hold the director accountable for implementation of their policies; that policy authority is significantly weakened. As such, the bill still substantially eliminates the essence of the voter mandate of the citizens embodied in Referendum 45 in 1995. The confusion and conflicting mandates within a new merged department could also harm WDFW’s budget, conservation efforts and fisheries programs, including selective fisheries implementation.

Financial estimates from the Governor’s Office indicate that the merger will save less than $2.5 million per year. Over half of these potential “savings” are achieved by merely transferring costs between departments! It is entirely possible that the merger could result in increased costs for the state. In terms of saving taxpayer dollars, it just doesn’t add up!

CCA Washington urges you to continue communicating with your legislators expressing your continued opposition to the merger and SSB 5669. If your legislator responded to your previous email please consider following up to remind them of your continued concern. Below is a list of issues for you to consider raising:

Þ Estimates from the Governor’s office indicate the merger will save less than $2.5 million per year. Half of these “savings” are merely achieved by transferring costs between departments. It could actually end up costing the state money given the complexities of a merger.

Þ The merger will likely harm all agencies through lost efficiencies and neglect of key agency functions. It took over a decade for WDFW to adjust to the merger of the Game and Fisheries Departments in 1994.

Þ The missions of the Parks Department , RCO and WDFW are completely different. A larger, merged department may lose focus on fish and wildlife conservation needs, including generating and managing mark selective fisheries and efforts to save and restore wild salmon and steelhead runs now in peril.

Þ Hunters and anglers are already generating a huge portion of WDFW’s budgets through their purchase of fishing and hunting licenses. A license fee increase bill has already been introduced to increase license fees to meet funding shortfalls at WDFW. Since the Governor has proposed completely cutting state funding for the Parks Department, WDFW’s budget could potentially subsidize functions of the Parks Department.

Þ The current WDFW and Commission structure has successfully reduced the ability of special interests to affect critical WDFW policies, conservation and resource management efforts. The merger proposal is likely to increase the influence of politics in natural resource management.

This bill could be scheduled for a public hearing in the Senate Ways and Means committee at any time. Your continued activism is critical. We will update you on any key developments.