Sign the petition to increase fishing license

[jifigz]

TimB wrote:

And for those that complain that the PFBC (wisely) built a reserve fund, you might want to take a look at the current and projected deficits in the audit. If nothing changes, they would burn through that reserve pretty quick. They either need to reduce services or increase revenues.

This is the only point of this entire debate. Pretty simple, really. Arway and PFBC wants a license increase and if not he threatened what would have to happen. He happened to threaten those districts specifically in which the lawmakers voted against the increase. Everyone understands that programs need to be cut if revenue can't be increased.

I honestly don't care about stocked trout one bit. They do have their place, however, and many that buy licenses buy them just for those first couple of weeks. I might target stockies only a couple of times a year but I trout fish a lot for wild fish. It just so happens that some of the best wild trout waters are also stocked waters. And I'd be fine with then just raising the cost of the trout stamp. They can do whatever they please and I'll always buy a license no matter what.

 

[CRB]

I simply do not fish for warm water fish and I am in 100% agreement an increase is necessary. But, I will not sign your petition as it has little value to the politicians. More impact is gained by showing up in person in front of the powers that be. I shows commitment and how important the issue is to you. Most importantly a face of the politicians constituency.

Hate, pushiness and ill-will not help in gathering your names.

 

[Maurice]

The whole entire package is less than $40...its mindboggling how people can be so principled over such a minor expense.

I was sit next to a guy in the truck on the way to work who drinks several $2.00 each drinks per day that said he would never buy a MD trout stamp for $5 because its too much. SMH

 

[JackM]

I want the PFBC to be subject to legislative controls, because every two years I can vote on them. I'm sorry to say that John Arway is going to martyr himself by not recognizing that he serves at the pleasure of the commission and that commissioners serve at the whim of legislators, somewhat.

 

[poopdeck]

^^^^^^ This! And bureaucratic agencies, who are not elected public officials and therefore not accountable to the people, should not be stockpiling money or have the final say over how money is allocated or collected.

If a dam breaks the elected people who control the money can get the money to repair it. The PFBC need not save money. To save money and then to ask for a price increase is the height of political arrogance. It's a ridiculous notion. To accept this as a good business practice shows how warped we as a public have become over taxes.

If they spend more then they have then they can ask for a price increase but not before.

 

[falcon]

Is a trout stamp required to fish the PA Delaware River. Is it a trout approved waterway? There are multiple species present from wild trout to stripers, bass, walleye etc. I buy a stamp anyway even though I don't fish approved stocked waters. It really gripes me when they stock over wild trout (not just marginal wild trout waters but streams that can support themselves. I remember politicians (Congressmen) pressuring the Commission to keep stocking when the Commission wanted to eliminate stocking on certain streams. All so some slobs can degrade the resource. The noisy wheel gets the grease. The money doesn't bother me but they need to be smarter how they allocate trout.

 

[DriftingDunn]

poopdeck wrote:
^^^^^^ This! And bureaucratic agencies, who are not elected public officials and therefore not accountable to the people, should not be stockpiling money or have the final say over how money is allocated or collected.

If a dam breaks the elected people who control the money can get the money to repair it. The PFBC need not save money. To save money and then to ask for a price increase is the height of political arrogance. It's a ridiculous notion. To accept this as a good business practice shows how warped we as a public have become over taxes.

If they spend more then they have then they can ask for a price increase but not before.

Do you live paycheck to paycheck?

Do you plan for the future?

If you ran your own business would you spend every penny you brought in and just rely on raising the prices of the goods and services you provide when those prices become too low to support your operations? Now there's an interesting business model.

I hereby nominate your above post as the most uninformed post of the century.

 

[FishTales]

Glad to see all the experts weighing in with opinions. It would help if you showed up at a Commission meeting from time to time with advice for me and the Board. You should probably first read the PSU Smeal Business College report http://www.fishandboat.com/AboutUs/Documents/PSU-BusinessAnalysis.pdf or the 2014 Legislative Budget and Finance Committee audit that reported the PFBC as the most efficient fish or wildlife agency in the nation in how we manage angler and boaters dollars. Oh BTW did anyone know that we have $110m in deferred infrastructure needs that have we have delayed fixing because of the uncertainty of when revenues will increase. Also what about license sales being down $1m compared to last year’s sales? Anyone know how we have paid the bills the last 4 years while we have been waiting for a fee increase. We cut staff from 432 to 366 to save money while protecting the reserve so that we can rebuild Tamarack Lake which took $12m loan from the reserve or make payroll $13m annually until our sales peak in March of every year. Many other examples of reserve demands if you want to know.

Anyone notice a drop in goods or services over the last 13 years while expenses have grown exponentially w/o any revenue increase? As I said in my answers to questions at the House Game and Fisheries Committee—. This is the first time in my life I have been criticized for saving money. Unbelievable. Unlike other government agencies, we have passed a budget on time every year, don’t spend more than we earn, live within our means and don’t deficit spend. We also don’t pass a spending plan before we know where the money will come from. Sound familiar?
BTW for those who think VA licenses are cheaper you need to compare how agencies are funded. VA legislature passed a law that gives VA Dept. of Game and Inland Fisheries 3% of what anglers and hunters are estimated to spend every year hunting and fishing in VA. They capped it at $12m/yr. They have been getting $12m/yr every year as a reinvestment in hunting and fishing. Pa anglers alone spend $1.2b a year with 6% going to teh general fundin PA and not a nickel is reinvested in fishing in our state. If it were, we might be able to lower the cost of a license. Think about it!

I just got off of Fishing Creek after a wonderful evening fishing a magnificent Grannom hatch and I made the mistake of checking in on your discussion. This just reinforces the fact that most people in today’s society expect more for less and don’t understand that when costs increase either prices go up or goods and services get cut.

 

[TJones]

FT don’t let these knuckleheads get under your skin... IMO you guys at the PFBC do an excellent job and you could raise the license price to 1k a year as far as I’m concerned... I would pay it, but then again fishing is like crack to me haha.

The old saying... “get your kids hooked on fishing not drugs” sure worked for me.

Keep up the good work and fighting the good fight, FT!

 

[poopdeck]

DriftingDunn wrote:

poopdeck wrote:
^^^^^^ This! And bureaucratic agencies, who are not elected public officials and therefore not accountable to the people, should not be stockpiling money or have the final say over how money is allocated or collected.

If a dam breaks the elected people who control the money can get the money to repair it. The PFBC need not save money. To save money and then to ask for a price increase is the height of political arrogance. It's a ridiculous notion. To accept this as a good business practice shows how warped we as a public have become over taxes.

If they spend more then they have then they can ask for a price increase but not before.

Do you live paycheck to paycheck?

Do you plan for the future?

If you ran your own business would you spend every penny you brought in and just rely on raising the prices of the goods and services you provide when those prices become too low to support your operations? Now there's an interesting business model.

I hereby nominate your above post as the most uninformed post of the century.

I nominate you for numbnut of the year. First off, the PFBC is not a business. The foundation of your point is off right from the get go. No I don't live paycheck to paycheck but a lot of people do because others have their hands in their pockets. In fact I do quite well. How the hell does that little tidbit prove your point.

A bureaucracy does not need a surplus. Governments and elected officials have the money and the ability to cover expenses of these bureaucracies. Non elected people do not need a stockpile. My understanding of a surplus is money that's not earmarked for anything. So there is 51 million just sitting there. It's not for future capitol improvements. It's wasn't collected for any other reason then to have it. I got news for you, I want to hold onto my money. I don't want to give it to some bureaucrat because he wants it for no reason other then separating it from me to put in their bank account.

Your understanding of what government And its various agencies are and what they do is so warped you will never understand what I'm saying. To compare it to a business or my personal finances is just plain stupidity.

No I will not attend meetings because I know my view does not matter. They will do what they want to do with or without me. I choose to ignore them.

 

[ryansheehan]

tomitrout wrote:
What if you don't fish for stocked trout, but fish 'wild trout' streams that are under special regs, like the Letort, Spring or Big Spring for example? Do you think a trout stamp is in order for those waters?

I personally don't mind the trout stamp, whether I fish for stocked or not, it keeps it nice and simple. I've been spending more time in VA lately and you want to talk about a convoluted license buying experience....

Tomi what are you doing down here? Where you been fishing?

 

[Acristickid]

To me the point of the petition was to just reach the politicians , to let them know their are thousands who support the PA Fish and boat.

Fishtail- good luck and thanks for working for us. I had a marvelous day yesterday fishing and it was a bargain.

 

[tomitrout]

Tomi what are you doing down here? Where you been fishing?

Ry, PM sent...(well maybe, not sure if it went through..)

 

[TimB]

afishinado wrote:
Hey Tim,

The whole argument is like paying taxes but insisting they only be used for what you believe in, or consume....it's not possible or practical.

If trout fishermen buy a trout stamp that pays for all the costs associated with trout, why should they then also have to buy a general license that pays for fishing they never do? > warm-water fishing.

It's all a silly argument. It's really up to all of us to make sure the FBC spends the dollars wisely and allocates the dollars equitably based on the wants and desires of the anglers that buy license to fish, without ever losing sight of the need to conserve the resources in our state.

Hey, I would like to see less spent on stocked trout and more spent for wild trout as well as warm-water fish, but creating funds and buying stamps based on the type of fishing we do is just not practical.

Once again you miss the point entirely. And there's nothing silly about it. As a moderator you should know better than to try to insult someone posting here in good faith. I’m not suggesting stamps for other species or programs. I'm talking about improving the one the PFBC already (wisely) has in place. By your logic, that should be eliminated entirely.

I’m suggesting putting more teeth into the existing permit and the revenue stream it generates. The trout stocking program is the albatross that is dragging the PFBC down. It’s because a very vocal portion of the angling public insists on it and pressures their legislators to keep the status quo. It's an artifical fishery that can only be sustained by stocking. Yet that portion of the angling public seem oblivious to the costs and the detrimental effect it has on native and wild trout.

If you stop attacking the messager and take a look at the big picture, there’s also an opportunity here to encourage public pressure from non-trout anglers to reduce the amount of license revenue spent on trout stocking. Until we change the culture that demands and expects stocked trout, wild populations will continue to be undervalued and at risk from unecesary and excessive stocking of non-native species. Public demand continues to put the PFBC in an untenable situation that they can't afford to continue.

 

[FishTales]

The Future Generations Act. Colorado legislature understands the need to reinvest in business. Why not PA?

“Under the bill, a one-day fishing license for a Colorado resident would go up by $4 and an annual license would increase by $8. The bill also would allow CPW to adjust future fees based on the Consumer Price Index. Most multi-day resident hunting licenses would increase by $8 under the bill. For example, an elk tag would increase from $45 to $53. The bill also allows a $1 increase on the $7 daily park entrance fees. Annual passes which now cost $70 would


http://cpw.state.co.us/aboutus/Pages/News-Release-Details.aspx?NewsID=6458

 

[DriftingDunn]

poopdeck wrote:

DriftingDunn wrote:

poopdeck wrote:
^^^^^^ This! And bureaucratic agencies, who are not elected public officials and therefore not accountable to the people, should not be stockpiling money or have the final say over how money is allocated or collected.

If a dam breaks the elected people who control the money can get the money to repair it. The PFBC need not save money. To save money and then to ask for a price increase is the height of political arrogance. It's a ridiculous notion. To accept this as a good business practice shows how warped we as a public have become over taxes.

If they spend more then they have then they can ask for a price increase but not before.

Do you live paycheck to paycheck?

Do you plan for the future?

If you ran your own business would you spend every penny you brought in and just rely on raising the prices of the goods and services you provide when those prices become too low to support your operations? Now there's an interesting business model.

I hereby nominate your above post as the most uninformed post of the century.

I nominate you for numbnut of the year. First off, the PFBC is not a business. The foundation of your point is off right from the get go. No I don't live paycheck to paycheck but a lot of people do because others have their hands in their pockets. In fact I do quite well. How the hell does that little tidbit prove your point.

A bureaucracy does not need a surplus. Governments and elected officials have the money and the ability to cover expenses of these bureaucracies. Non elected people do not need a stockpile. My understanding of a surplus is money that's not earmarked for anything. So there is 51 million just sitting there. It's not for future capitol improvements. It's wasn't collected for any other reason then to have it. I got news for you, I want to hold onto my money. I don't want to give it to some bureaucrat because he wants it for no reason other then separating it from me to put in their bank account.

Your understanding of what government And its various agencies are and what they do is so warped you will never understand what I'm saying. To compare it to a business or my personal finances is just plain stupidity.

No I will not attend meetings because I know my view does not matter. They will do what they want to do with or without me. I choose to ignore them.

Go back and read Post #48 by Fish Tales (John Arway). Apparently you're choosing to ignore the facts.

And please, don't go to any meetings. Time at those meetings is too valuable.

One thing I will say that you are correct on: The $51 million that the PFBC has in reserve will never be used for improvements to the Capitol. Your state taxes would pay for that.

 

[PALongbow]

There has been a huge drop off in stocking over the past 20 years from Fish and Boat. For example...They once stocked 15 buckets of trout 3 times a year on Fishing Creek and now only two stockings with just a handful of buckets now. The local outdoor clubs, fishing clubs and some local residents combined do more for Fishing Creek than the Fish & Boat. I personally wouldn't care if they just stopped stocking all together.

Ron

 

[NickR]

Just a thought... maybe people arent interested in the same ol same old. Maybe 1 + 1 = 2 and hatchery fish need to be cut back? I feel like in Pennsylvania we live in the "stocked trout matrix." The truth shall set you free. Anyway, for anyone interested here is a little tidbit from the Wild Steelhead Coalition that is very relevant for any wild trout species even here in PA.

http://wildsteelheadcoalition.org/steelhead-101/the-hs/hatcheries/

 

[franklin]

poopdeck wrote:
^^^^^^ This! And bureaucratic agencies, who are not elected public officials and therefore not accountable to the people, should not be stockpiling money or have the final say over how money is allocated or collected.

If a dam breaks the elected people who control the money can get the money to repair it. The PFBC need not save money. To save money and then to ask for a price increase is the height of political arrogance. It's a ridiculous notion. To accept this as a good business practice shows how warped we as a public have become over taxes.

If they spend more then they have then they can ask for a price increase but not before.

Due to the way the PFBC is funded it makes perfect sense. Part of their reserve fund is actually putting aside the depreciation on their dams. They don't get n annual slice of the state budget so the tax payers won't come to the rescue if a dam needs repairs. The dam will sit empty for years until it gets funding. As was the case with several PFBC lakes in the past years.

 

[Hook_Jaw]

I only like the stocked trout program for kids I loved it when I was a kid.