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‘Governator’ Planning to Divert Wildlife Funds

Fishermen and hunters are outraged about a plan tucked into the proposed California budget that would shift $30 million away from wildlife programs.

According to the budget offered by the governor’s office, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is seeking to borrow money from the Fish and Game Preservation Fund, which comes from hunting and fishing license fees, and use it to prop up other state programs. The plan states that funds would be repaid to wildlife programs by 2013, however hunters and sportsmen want the money to remain wildlife programs and not jeopardize matching federal funds.

The preservation fund is a key resource for the California Department of Fish & Game to support law enforcement, habitat and research projects, and the money tagged represents about one-third of the fund’s annual receipts from hunting and fishing license sales.

“They’ve made some big blunders and caused problems for themselves, and it shouldn't be fishing licenses that hook them out,” said Frank Hashorva, a member of the Rancho Murieta Fishing Club. “It’s totally absurd.”

Fish and Game spokeswoman Jordan Traverso said the loan — which must be approved as part of a legislative package to adopt the 2009-2010 budget — would not affect department operations. The fund will still have a balance of about $3.1 million at the end of this fiscal year, in June 2009. She also added that budget language requires the money to be paid back sooner if the department is negatively affected.

Adding insult to injury are inflationary hikes proposed in the same budget to both the 2009 hunting and fishing licenses. Upset sportsmen are already voicing their displeasure and, according to some media reports, are planning a ‘license burning’ rally outside the state capitol.

“I would gladly pay more, and most fishermen would, if they could see results for what they’re paying for,” said Don Herrold of Rancho Cordova, a Central Valley angler for five decades.

The U. S. Sportsman’s Alliance (USSA) has called on California sportsmen to oppose this diversion designed to prop up unrelated state programs.

“These are tough budget times for many states,” said Rick Story, USSA senior vice president. “However, the governor should not be robbing Peter to pay Paul. Sportsmen expect their license fees to go to wildlife programs, as established by law, and that’s the way it should stay.”

The USSA urges sportsmen in California to go the USSA Legislative Action Center, find their state legislators and tell them not to support the Governor’s plan to divert their license fees to other state programs. Sportsmen should also contact Gov. Schwarzenegger’s office and let him know that the diversion is a bad idea.