Game Commission Cuts
Because of timber revenue shortfalls, and other budget issues, the Pennsylvania Game Commission has been forced to cut $3 million from it’s budget.
GAME COMMISSION ANNOUNCES APPROVAL OF
$2.85 MILLION REDUCTION IN SERVICES AND PROGRAMSHARRISBURG – In the face of a $3 million deficit in the 2004-05 fiscal year budget caused by unanticipated expenses and shortfalls in timber revenues, Pennsylvania Game Commission Executive Director Vern Ross today announced that he has approved cuts and reductions in current operations amounting to $2.85 million. He noted that the agency will continue to review the current budget to realize a total of $3.1 million in savings in the 2004-05 fiscal year budget, as well as launch an effort to identify cuts and reductions of up to $7 million in the 2005-06 fiscal year budget.
Perhaps merging the Game Commission, Fish & Boat Commission, and the DNCR, might save even more money.
My favorite line of the PGC is:
The Game Commission does not receive any general state taxpayer dollars.
Note the word “general.” Why is that in this phrase? Does the PGC receive specific taxpayer monies? My bet: the taxpayers don’t care whether the dollars are general or specific…it still costs us the same.
When I first heard this little catch phrase, I was intrigued. Especially since in the same breath, the PGC bragged about all this federal aid and grant money it was receiving. Their logic: we don’t use taxpayer money, we were able to get a grant from the federal government. Hmmm. I wonder where the federal grant money came from.
I’ll give you three guesses.
March 29th, 2005 at 2:51 pm
There goes the price of tags! Will we need a squirrel stamp next year? Have they figured the revenue loss due to fewer doe tags this year? Will a merger help?
March 29th, 2005 at 3:15 pm
Reduced timber revenue, no hunting license increases since 1996 + increased overhead = deficit.
Among other cuts, PA hunters can expect to see a 50% cut in the pheasant stocking program for 2005 and further cut backs or possilble elimination of the program for 2006. UNLESS, legislation is approved for a pheasant stamp, which in my opinion is the answer to funding this user specific program.
March 31st, 2005 at 8:29 am
Dan,
How much should a hunting license cost?
I don’t think you can expect a squirrel stamp any time in the near future as squirrels are an overabundent game species that require almost zero management dollars. Habitat is also plentiful and is not specifically managed for the species.