# Tentative DNR/State Deal



## Linda G. (Mar 28, 2002)

Hunting, fishing fees won't be increased under tentative deal 

By DAVID EGGERT 
Associated Press Writer


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LANSING, Mich. (AP) -- Hunting and fishing license fees won't go up this budget year under a tentative agreement announced Friday by a state lawmaker and confirmed by Gov. Jennifer Granholm's administration.

Neither will environmental permit fees paid by businesses.

The hunting and fishing fee increases will be avoided by using extra money elsewhere in the state budget to fund shortfalls in the Game and Fish Fund, said House Tourism, Outdoor Recreation and Natural Resources Chairman Joel Sheltrown, D-West Branch.

Officials have said they will have to lay off workers and cut services if the fee increases aren't approved.

State budget director Bob Emerson told Democratic House leaders Friday that Granholm - who proposed the fee increases - now supports avoiding them. He said she prefers to plug funding gaps in Department of Natural Resources and the Department of Environmental Quality with other money, though a specific source has not been agreed to.

"It's a bit premature to say we have a specific agreement," state budget spokeswoman Leslee Fritz said. "But certainly the governor indicated she is supportive of moving in that direction."

Sheltrown said there is an agreement to use part of $219 million in one-time money available from changing the state's business tax structure Jan. 1. That money is in the state's rainy day fund right now. Fritz said there could be other funding sources.

Republicans who control the Senate don't appear to have been briefed by the Granholm administration. But they oppose fee hikes.

Legislators leery of raising fees so soon after approving general tax increases in the fall have until Jan. 15 to raise the fees, make spending cuts or find an alternative funding source.

Since conservation, hunting and environmental programs still are expected to face funding problems in the 2008-09 fiscal year, the fee issue may not be going away anytime soon.

Sheltrown said the House will restore $5 million to DNR next week, though others said voting might not occur until January.

"This is great news for Michigan's hunters and anglers," said Michigan United Conservation Clubs Executive Director Dennis Muchmore.

Under legislation proposed but not voted on, the cost of a firearm or archery deer license would have doubled from $15 to $30 for Michigan residents over the next four years and quickly risen from $138 to $165 for out-of-state hunters. A 24-hour fishing license for in-state residents would have increased from $7 to $15 by 2011 and from $150 to $300 for nonresidents.

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## thousandcasts (Jan 22, 2002)

Short term? Great. In the mean time, we get to spend another year fighting about something that should have been done two or three years ago. Just raise the damn fees for God sake and let's move on.


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## aquarius (Nov 2, 2006)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, December 6, 2007
Contact: Joel Sheltrown
Toll-free 1-888-347-8103
Sheltrown Secures Agreement for Expanded Conservation Funding
Deal with Governor would Prevent Fee Increases, Restore Conservation District Funds
(LANSING) -Through the efforts of State Representative Joel Sheltrown (D-West
Branch) an agreement has been reached to use $5 million from the Michigan Business
Tax to restore a portion of conservation funding eliminated through budget cuts.
Under the agreement, $4 million dollars will be dedicated the state's beleaguered Game
and Fish Fund, preventing cuts to state fish stocking programs, game habitat restortation
and the layoff of dozens of DNR Conservation Officers. The supplemental funding will
also alleviate the need for hunting and fishing fee increases for the current fiscal year.
Sheltrown, who has supported the restoration of General Fund support for conservation
programs rather than fees increase, described the agreement as a tremendous victory for
sportsmen. According to the Department of Natural Resources, Michigan sportsmen
spend $3.3 billion annually, contributing $100 million to $200 million in state sales tax
revenue. Sheltrown is currently drafting legislation to permanently dedicate a portion of
the sale tax paid on sporting goods to conservation funding.
"Governor Granholm and I recognize that an investment in Michigan's conservation
programs yields a high rate of return for many small businesses throughout the state and
the state budget's bottom line," Sheltrown said. By restoring state support of
conservation programs through a means other than fee increases, it's my hope we can
improve Michigan's fisheries and game management, reinvigorate participation in
outdoor sports and expand this segment of the state's economy.
Also in the agreement, $1 million dollars will be returned to local conservation districts
for forestry programs. The funding had been vetoed from the 2007-2008 budget.
Sheltrown explained that the $5 million in agreed funding will be restored through a
supplemental budget to be approved by the House on December 12 and by the Senate
shortly thereafter. The funding is a result of the enactment of the Michigan Business Tax
earlier this year. The Michigan Business Tax replaced Michigan's unpopular Single
Business Tax.​


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## mlschafer5 (Nov 21, 2007)

So does this mean they are not going to raise the license fee?


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## swampbuck (Dec 23, 2004)

the license fee may not need to be raised. Rep sheltrown is looking for the funding that has been taken away over the years. this gets him another year at least to follow the money trail, and get sportsmen there fair share of the pot. like I said before he's not perfect but he is a hell of a lot better than what we had.


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## Hamilton Reef (Jan 20, 2000)

Remember this still has to pass the NRA mafia approval.


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