[JohnR]

http://www.lowellsun.com/Stories/0,1...588731,00.html i just received this from Flatts...

Pols have done Mass. sportsmen a disservice
By BILL BISWANGER
Sun Outdoors Writer
The Inland Fish and Game Fund and the land acquisition fund are no more.

Thanks to Gov. Mitt Romney and a legislature that is afraid to stand up for what is the correct thing to do, the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife has had to surrender all the money it has.

This is money brought in from the sale of land stamps, fishing, hunting, trapping licenses, and on your tax return the voluntary check-off for the non-game fund. This fund had over $9 million.

Last week John Rogers, chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, took those dedicated funds and placed them in the General Fund. For those of you who do not know what the General Fund is, it means the money can be spent on anything the Governor or legislature wants to spend it on.




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If the state thinks you need a washing machine that's where the money will go. If they think you need a manicure that is where the money will go. If someone has enough clout, they can get the money appropriated for a garden in Pittsfield.

According to Environmental spokesman Felix Brown, they have taken this money into the General Fund but will give some of it back to Fisheries and Wildlife as they see fit. I asked Brown if the stocking programs for pheasant, quail and the trout programs would continue, he said they would. I asked if they would be cut or level-funded and his response was, Tthey will get funds but we have no idea how much will be given."

When asked about the federal regulations concerning Atlantic salmon he said, "I don't know about those programs."

I asked Brown about the Land Stamp program which nets over $2 million per year for open space protection. These funds supposedly can't be used for anything other than land acquisition. Brown said he would call me back, which he did, and he got a answer from someone who said: "No funds from this program will be distributed. There is nothing at present to make this money available."

I called Rogers's office. He did not return my phone calls but William Rennie, a press secretary, did. Rennie said that each of these dedicated funds including the Land Stamp fund has been repealed, therefore they no longer exist. He said it doesn't matter how the laws were written, they no longer exist.

Rennie also said funds absorbed include boat registration fees, FID, License to Carry, antlerless deer permit money, land stamp, sporting license, and about any money the sportsmen raise is now part of the General Fund.

I asked Rennie about several other programs which he had no answer for. He did say he would get back to me but so far I have not heard from him. Hopefully next week he will be able to shed more light on the newly- repealed laws. He did say that most of the money will now be used for the Medicaid system.

The sportsmen in this state must rally.

It is imperative that every person who loves the outdoors, every club, every club member, should call and write to their state senators and state reps and tell them just how you feel.

Folks, this could well be one of the most blatant anti-sportsman backdoor attack ever pulled off by politicians. Let's face it, if they don't give any funds to Fish and Game to stock trout, pike, Atlantic salmon, quail, pheasants, etc. there will be nothing left for us to pursue.