Convenience Fee $4.22

[Mike P]

The reason for those online fees is pretty simple: you're not buying the license from the Commonwealth directly. You're buying it from a private contract vendor called Active Outdoors. Ever notice how the URL in your browser window changes from mass.gov to malicense.com when you click the online license link? Like most private sector businesses, they're in it to make a profit.

You guys ain't a buncha commies are ya?

[Pete F.]

Originally Posted by Mike P

The reason for those online fees is pretty simple: you're not buying the license from the Commonwealth directly. You're buying it from a private contract vendor called Active Outdoors. Like most private sector businesses, they're in it to make a profit.

You guys ain't a buncha commies are ya?

So the question is prior to using Active Outdoors the State paid for employees, and the other things needed to license people some # of dollars per license. I assume that Active Outdoors is less expensive than that. Did they lower the price of the license when the change was made? The cost is gone and the money is still being paid.

[spence]

Originally Posted by Pete F.

So the question is prior to using Active Outdoors the State paid for employees, and the other things needed to license people some # of dollars per license. I assume that Active Outdoors is less expensive than that. Did they lower the price of the license when the change was made? The cost is gone and the money is still being paid.

Not necessarily.

It's quite likely that the shift to a private contractor was an effort to defray rising costs of fishery management rather than create more net revenue for the state.

-spence

[Pete F.]

Originally Posted by spence

Not necessarily.

It's quite likely that the shift to a private contractor was an effort to defray rising costs of fishery management rather than create more net revenue for the state.

-spence

Since originally the license fee paid for the administrative costs, this increased the available funds. How are license fees dealt with in Mass, part of F&W budget or General fund? Perhaps in other words, the fee is a tax

[Mike P]

Originally Posted by Pete F.

Since originally the license fee paid for the administrative costs, this increased the available funds. How are license fees dealt with in Mass, part of F&W budget or General fund? Perhaps in other words, the fee is a tax

No license fees have ever gone into the General Fund. Whatever is left after administrative costs goes into an earmarked fund used to acquire access and improve hunting and fishing. No Governor has ever been able to touch a cent of that fund. The last one who tried was Mitt, and the courts shut him down.

[Mike P]

Originally Posted by Pete F.

So the question is prior to using Active Outdoors the State paid for employees, and the other things needed to license people some # of dollars per license. I assume that Active Outdoors is less expensive than that. Did they lower the price of the license when the change was made? The cost is gone and the money is still being paid.

Very few people bought their license from a F&W office. Most bought them from either a tackle/hunting shop, or at the town hall. I don't think that F&W saved any money by offering online sales. Any clerk that sold them from a F&W field office did other things besides selling licenses. No one was ever hired as strictly a license sales clerk.

Don't want to pay the convenience fee? Then don't. Just go down to the town hall and pick up your FW or hunting license. You'll only pay the extra dollar that towns are allowed to collect (and always have been allowed to collect). For a SW license, there are 3 DMF offices who'll sell you the license for the $10 fee with no extra charges. I get mine from the New Bedford DMF office every year, and it costs $10. Takes all of 3 minutes.

[OLD GOAT]

Originally Posted by Mike P

Very few people bought their license from a F&W office. Most bought them from either a tackle/hunting shop, or at the town hall. I don't think that F&W saved any money by offering online sales. Any clerk that sold them from a F&W field office did other things besides selling licenses. No one was ever hired as strictly a license sales clerk.

Don't want to pay the convenience fee? Then don't. Just go down to the town hall and pick up your FW or hunting license. You'll only pay the extra dollar that towns are allowed to collect (and always have been allowed to collect). For a SW license, there are 3 DMF offices who'll sell you the license for the $10 fee with no extra charges. I get mine from the New Bedford DMF office every year, and it costs $10. Takes all of 3 minutes.

Mike There are a few town clerks that can't be botherd with the hunting&fishing licence.sales.
As a mater of fact a few post offices can't be botherd selling duck stamps.