Military Fishing License Proposal

[Don Wittenberger]

At Chapter 57's October meeting, one of our members, Lee Burns, brought up the issue of active duty military personnel having to pay nonresident fishing license fees. WDFW does have a policy of allowing military personnel stationed in Washington to buy resident licenses, but this doesn't help out-of-state visitors.

As I got to thinking about this after the meeting, I recalled the state veteran's bonus of $200 or $250 (I don't recall exactly) that I received when I returned home from Army service in Vietnam back in 1970. The State of Washington gave cash bonuses to veterans of World War 2, Korea, and Vietnam from a "war veterans compensation fund" with money obtained by raising cigarette taxes. The Vietnam bonus was repealed in 1979, and the compensation fund no longer exists, but the cigarette tax increase was left in place. The law provided that any revenues from this tax not used for veterans bonuses would be used to pay off school construction bonds, and I assume this is where that money goes today.

Then I came up with an idea. Instead of giving free fishing licenses to anyone on active military duty, including National Guardsmen and Reservists called to active duty, WDFW could continue to sell them fishing licenses and get the license fees, under the existing regulations that determine eligibility for a resident or non-resident license, but military purchases could get the licenses free if the state paid for them through a special fund using these cigarette taxes as the funding source. Under my plan, the license purchaser would show the license vendor a military ID to prove he's on active duty, and the license vendor would then bill the state fund through the license computer system, and the money would be electronically transferred to the vendor (vendor's commission) and WDFW's accounts (license fee).

This system would not cost WDFW money in the form of lost license fees, and could increase WDFW's license revenues if military license sales increased. For example, if WDFW currently sells X number of fishing licenses a year to active duty military personnel, and the special fund pays for X number of licenses, WDFW will get the same amount of money; but if the free licenses prompted more military personnel to buy fishing licenses -- let's say the program bumped military fishing license sales up by Y -- the fees from the additional Y license sales would be a net increase of income for WDFW that could be used to support fisheries programs.

This will have to be approved by the Legislature. My present intention is to send a letter to the Director of WDFW informing him of my proposal, with copies to Mike Gregoire (the Governor's veterans outreach person) and George Orr, the F & W Commission's liaison person on IFPAG. I don't want to wait for the next IFPAG meeting in February to get the ball rolling on this. At some point, I'll need a friendly legislator willing to sponsor a bill or amendment, and I may need to ask the public to write letters to their legislators, and so on. This will take a lobbying effort, but because we're trying to do something in appreciation of our military people's service, I figure it'll be hard for the Legislature to say no. These are tough times for state budget writers, but the cost of this idea is insignificant compared to the overall budget, a funding source already exists, and it could provide a framework for the Legislature to expand benefits to the current generation of war veterans later on when more money is available.

A number of other states have done, and are currently doing, something similar for military personnel. For example, Florida residents on military leave can fish or hunt for 30 days without a license. Other states allow military personnel stationed in their states the right to buy resident fishing and hunting licenses even if their home of record is somewhere else. I'd like to go further and provide ALL active duty military personnel with a FREE Washington fishing license at state expense if they wish to fish in our state, including out-of-state visitors.

One of the arguments in favor of this is that there are potential payoffs for our state. A free fishing license may not seem like a big thing, and it certainly isn't in terms of the insignificant cost to cigarette smokers, but it might get some soldier thinking, "Gee, Washington is a pretty nice state," and maybe after he gets out of the service, he'll move here and bring his work skills or maybe establish a job-creating business here. This is the argument that Florida used to establish special fishing and hunting privileges for military personnel stationed there.

I haven't mailed the letters yet, as I still have to do final editing, but they will be going out shortly. This idea is taking shape and I hope to launch a campaign that will have the support of Chapter 57, our state's other fishing clubs, the statewide fishing community, supportive citizens, and sympathetic legislators. The purpose of this comment is to let you know of my plan and to ask for your support for this proposal.

[kevinb]

Sounds like a great plan to me. Its the least we could do for our military personnel.
What kind of support are you looking for? Respectfully,chapter 57 doesn't have lobbying powers for this endeavor and
if it has any "power" at all,it comes from you. I can't think of anybody who would oppose your idea.
I would just hate to see your efforts turned into an undeserved photo op for others.
You have my support. Good luck:salut:

[muskyhunter]

You go ol' man...!!

[AdsBot [Google]]

I think that sounds fair too.

[Don Wittenberger]

So far Olympia hasn't responded, and nothing may happen for a while because the WDFW Director resigned last month, and now there's rumors the Governor may take a job in the Obama administration. If she resigns, the Lieutenant Governor will take over until a special election in November. Exactly what impact these events will have on my modest little proposal is hard to say, but I suspect it won't get much attention if both the WDFW director and governor are temps.

[kevinb]

Temp. positions or not...I hope whoever is in charge will realize that this is a good cause
and get the ball rolling.

[AdsBot [Google]]

That sucks.....Maybe they will let you be the temp Director Don. lol, that would be cool!

[Don Wittenberger]

Those rumors were a false alarm. The big announcement from the Governor's office is that she's in Iraq visiting Washington National Guard troops. Please Lord, I've never asked You for much, but pleeease Lord, let my letter about free fishing licenses for military personnel be sitting on her desk when she comes back! When it comes to political stuff, sometimes nothing works nearly so well as good luck or divine intervention. I'll accept as much of both as I can get ... this applies to my fishing, too.

[Bodofish]

It would be an awesome plan but there's just one fly in the ointment. Fishing and hunting licenses do not fund WDFW. All the revenue from license sales goes into the general fund. The money from our licenses does not directly support our chosen recreational activities we pay to participate in. WDFW fights for there small share of the pie just like all the other depts. do.

[Don Wittenberger]

WDFW's budget comes from a mix of fishing and hunting license sales, state general fund money, and federal money. Proceeds from fishing and hunting license sales go into the Wildlife Fund, not the state general fund. The Wildlife Fund provides somewhere around 30% of WDFW's budget, to the best of my recollection. Despite high gas prices and a weakening economy, license revenues did not decline in 2008, but WDFW (like other state agencies) is facing cuts in general fund money because the weak economy is resulting in a decline of sales tax revenues.

[bad esox]

Don,

Great job! I believe you can get this project passed. Your heart is in the right place and your dedication seems to be endless.

It is important.

Thank You.

[Don Wittenberger]

Given how much bureaucratic and legislative inertia must be overcome, and how hard it will be to overcome it, dedication and perseverence will be the key to making it happen. And it will not be me alone who gets the job done. This has to be a community effort, and if it's successful, we will owe much gratitude to people within WDFW as well as the individuals, organizations, and legislators who get behind the idea and support it. Without those things, I can't see it happening.