It is rare to have 35+ organizations, representing every aspect of the Texas Outdoors, share a common voice. However, with critical funding issues facing Texas Parks & Wildlife, what better reason to unite? Millions of hunters, anglers, landowners, and others who have a strong interest in sustaining our conservation heritage are hoping to be heard by the Texas Senate.

Below is an "Open Letter" to the Texas Senate stating that a coalition (now named "Texas Outdoor Partners") has co-signed regarding the TPWD Legislative Appropriations Request for Fiscal Year 2008/2009.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

February, 2007

Honorable Steve Ogden
Chairman Finance Committee, Texas Senate
P.O. Box 12068
Austin, Texas 78711-2068

Dear Chairman Ogden:

The organizations listed below represent millions of hunters, anglers, landowners, natural resource professionals and others who share a strong interest in sustaining our conservation heritage and Texas fish and wildlife resources. We are writing today to support the Legislative Appropriation Request submitted by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, including key exceptional items requested. 

We want to ensure the chairman, committee members and other Senators that sportsmen and women have been fully involved through advisory committees and organizational input in the funding request, and stress to the committee that the following comments have been gathered directly from Texas outdoor enthusiasts who are concerned about how these matters are resolved.  We have specifically identified six areas of concern that we wish to highlight.

1. Sportsmen and women support restoration of the 10% reductions.
   Sportsmen’s groups support the restoration of the initial 10% reductions in the TPWD budget request including department recommended uses of Fund 9, the dedicated hunting and fishing license and stamps funds.  Without the restoration, Fund 9 will continue to grow and build an unnecessary balance.  Sportsmen pay these fees voluntarily to support fish and wildlife management.  Sportsmen want their monies put toward conservation on the ground and do not want to see a loss of current services or a growing unappropriated fund balance in Fund 9.
2. Fund 9 is dedicated sportsmen’s dollars and needs to continue to be protected.
   It is critical that Fund 9 remain dedicated and protected or Federal Aid funds under Pittman-Robertson and Dingell-Johnson totaling more than $26 million dollars a year will be in diversion and revert to the federal coffers.  Sportsmen’s dollars have been dedicated to this 75% federal match from excise taxes on guns, ammunition and fishing equipment since the 1930s.  The loss of federal funds will be devastating to wildlife, fisheries and law enforcement.  At least two other states have been threatened with diversion recently, almost losing their 75% matching federal funds in a painful process for the agencies and legislatures.  Sportsmen are united that this must not happen in Texas.  Likewise, it is critical that TPWD law enforcement activities that are not fisheries and wildlife related (such as increasing duties focused on immigration, border security, drug interdiction, emergency response, environmental/pollution enforcement, etc.) be paid for through use of other state funds, not sportsmen’s dollars.  Otherwise these non-conservation duties will exceed the allowable Fund 9 expenditures under federal rules, resulting in the loss of Federal Aid funds.  
3. Sportsmen strongly support full park funding as proposed in HB 6.
   The first outdoor experience for most Texans is in a state park, and sportsmen strongly support full park funding as proposed in HB 6.  However, any funds diverted from Fund 9 for parks would cause diversion in Federal Aid matching funds.  Again, this loss of federal funds would dramatically reduce conservation on the ground and directly impact hunters and anglers.  Sportsmen’s groups would necessarily be opposed to any use of Fund 9 in funding parks.  We have been assured by members of the legislature that this scenario is unlikely, but we felt it would be best to clarify the reasons for our concerns.
4. Keep Rider 27 (as passed in 2005) just like it is today, allowing TPWD to spend revenues in excess of estimates.
   Sportsmen agree it is critical to retain Rider 27-like language for revenues in excess to be returned for use in sportsmen’s activities and conservation.  It has worked well and needs to remain just like it is today.
5. Create flexibility for FTEs and capital equipment purchases.
   It is important to allow TPWD flexibility over the FTE cap and in capital equipment purchases when the department has revenues in excess, new grants, or public-private sources of funds since conservation is often best put in place by “boots on the ground.” It is also essential that TPWD have the equipment they need to perform the conservation projects.
6. Appropriate the Freshwater Fisheries Stamp Funds for hatcheries.
   This stamp fund continues to build beyond expectations and the most beneficial course of action at this time is to fully appropriate the funds directly for hatchery construction, repair and maintenance, saving sportsmen millions of dollars in unnecessary spending toward debt service on bonds.

Thank you for your consideration.  We remain willing to assist Senators in whatever capacity we may to ensure that the use of our state’s hunter and angler funds are put on the ground for the purposes intended.

Audubon Texas
Austin Woods and Waters Club
Bass Club of Fort Worth
CCA Texas
Coastal Bend Bays & Estuaries
Conservation Force
Dallas Safari Club
Ducks Unlimited
Exotic Wildlife Association
Houston Gulf Coast Chapter of SCI
Houston Safari Club
LBJ Fish and Habitat
Lone Star Bowhunters Association
National Wild Turkey Federation
North Texas Safari Club
Plateau Land and Wildlife
Pheasants Forever
Quail Forever
Quail Unlimited
Quality Deer Management Association
Recreational Fishing Alliance
Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation
Saltwater-fisheries Enhancement Association
Sensible Management of Aquatic Resources Team
Texas Association of Bass Clubs
Texas BASS Federation Nation
Texas Bighorn Society
Texas Black Bass Unlimited
Texas Brigades
Texas Chapter of The Wildlife Society
Texas Deer Association
Texas Dog Hunters Association
Texas Gulf Coast Stewards, Inc.
TexasHuntFish.Com
Texas Mining and Reclamation Association
Texas Organization of Wildlife Management Associations
Texas Sportsman's Association
Texas State Rifle Association
Texas Taxidermy Association
Texas Teaming with Wildlife Coalition
Texas Wildlife Association
The Nature Conservancy of Texas

------------------------------------------------------------------

If you would like to comment in the Discussion Forum, CLICK HERE

If you would like to read the actual TPWD Legislative Appropriations Request (LAR), CLICK HERE

Images and Files: View all 42 photos / videos here.