Texas Outdoor Partners

Welcome Texas Outdoor Partners!

Reminder of Next Thursday's Finance Committee Hearing

UPDATE: Sorry for the short notice. The Senate Finance Committee Meeting that was scheduled for 12:30 today has been moved up to 10:30. TPWD will be up second so it should go pretty quickly. I will be providing a letter and testimony on behalf of TOP today.

 I just wanted to remind everyone that the Senate Finance Committee is planning on taking up TPWD's budget next Thursday at their hearing at the capitol. I plan on delivering a letter to Sen Ogden and the rest of the committee members as well as provide testimony supporting changes to the budget. It will be the same letter that we delivered to House Appropriations last week.

If you can be at the hearing for a show of support or to turn in a card on behalf of your organization, let me know. If your groups name was not on the HAC letter or you would like for me to add or remove your organizations name from the Senate letter, just let me know. I appreciate all of the support and help. I just got off the phone with Rep. Darby's office and the House has made many of the recommended changes we asked for.

Our efforts are having a positive impact on this process. Let me know if you have any questions or concerns.

president@texasoutdoorpartners.com

  Senate Finance (PUBLIC HEARING)    
THURSDAY - 3/03/11
12:30 P.M. or Adj., E1.036

Article VI - Natural Resources Commission on Environmental Quality Parks and Wildlife Department Article I - General Government Ethics Commission Facilities Commission Preservation Board Article IX - General Provisions

Pitts Final Budget Letter

February 15, 2011
The Honorable Jim Pitts Chairman House Appropriations
P.O. Box 2910
Austin, Texas 78768

 

Dear Chairman Pitts:

The Texas Outdoor Partners is a growing coalition of 60 organizations representing over 3 million hunters, anglers, landowners, conservationists, natural resource professionals and others who share a strong interest in sustaining our conservation heritage and Texas’ fish and wildlife resources. For over 5 years the member groups have discussed overarching issues affecting conservation in Texas.

We would like to ensure that the following points are taken into consideration in the deliberation of the department’s budget

• State General Revenue (GR) dollars do not fund fish and wildlife conservation through TPWD.  Hunters and anglers fund TPWD fish, wildlife and most law enforcement through the purchase of licenses and stamp fees;
• These dedicated license and stamp funds cannot be spent anywhere else, or the state and TPWD will lose critical ¾ matching Federal Aid funds under the Sport Fish and Wildlife Restoration Act and under law the state will have to pay back significant past federal dollars if found in diversion;

Concerns and Recommendations:

• Reduce Proposed $65 Million in Fund 9 Balance Buildups
  • TOP members strongly recommend that at least $20 million of the in 2012-2013 budget proposals projected $40 million additional proposed fund balance in Fund 9 license dollars are provided to be spent per sportsmen’s purposes.

•  Level Funding Reductions
  • TOP members strongly recommend increasing department flexibility by allowing proposed reductions to be leveled over the biennium to help make the budget reduction recommendations more manageable for ongoing operations and critical programs. 

• Remove Transferability Restrictions
  • TOP members recommend enhanced flexibility to the department to allow them to work with stakeholders in prioritizing critical operations and program needs.

• Reinstate Rider 27
  • TOP members recommend Rider 27 flexibility once again be provided with maximum flexibility in spending excess revenues.

• Provide exemption from FTE cap for Federally Funded FTEs
  • TOP members recommend that the department be provided flexibility to calculate FTEs based on the percentage of state dollars used to fund these employees.

• Provide reinstatement of statutory programs
  • TOP members request reasonable reinstatement of funds and internal flexibility in spending and leveling to address statutory needs.

• Reinstatement of Coastal Fisheries FTEs
  • TOP members request a correction to LBB miscalculation and adjustment (increase) of 12.2 FTE in each year in Strategy A.2.3.
    

• Reinstatement of capital budget
  • TOP members request reinstatement of capital budget authority for information technology, transportation and capital equipment items.

Thank you for your consideration.  We remain willing to assist the Legislature 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. 

Please feel free to contact Joey Park, this year’s chairman of the Texas Outdoor Partners, at 512-293-4136, or email president@texasoutdoorpartners.com  for any further information.

 

Download Pitts Final Budget Letter 2-11-11

 

Texas Outdoor Partner Talking Points

Texas Outdoor Partner Talking Points

• State General Revenue (GR) dollars do not fund fish and wildlife conservation through TPWD.  Hunters and anglers fund TPWD fish, wildlife and (most) law enforcement through the purchase of licenses and stamps;
• These dedicated license and stamp funds cannot be spent anywhere else, or the state and TPWD will lose critical ¾ matching Federal Aid funds under the Sport Fish and Wildlife Restoration Act, and under federal law the state will have to pay back significant past federal dollars if found in diversion ;

Recommendations:

• Reduce Proposed $65 Million in Fund 9 Balance Buildups
  • TOP members strongly recommend that at least $20 million of the in 2012-2013 budget proposals projected $40 million additional proposed fund balance in Fund 9 license dollars are provided to be spent per sportsmen’s purposes.

• Level Funding Reductions
  • TOP members strongly recommend increasing department flexibility by allowing proposed reductions to be leveled over the biennium to help make the budget reduction recommendations more manageable for ongoing operations and critical programs.

• Remove Transferability Restrictions  
  • TOP members request much enhanced flexibility to the department to allow them to work with stakeholders in prioritizing critical operations and program needs.

• Reinstate Rider 27
  • TOP members recommend Rider 27 flexibility once again be provided with maximum flexibility in spending excess revenues.

• Provide exemption from FTE cap for Federally Funded FTEs
  • TOP members recommend that the department be provided flexibility to calculate FTEs based on the percentage of state dollars used to fund these employees.

• Provide reinstatement of statutory programs
  • TOP members request reasonable reinstatement of funds and internal flexibility in spending and leveling to address statutory needs.

• Reinstatement of Coastal Fisheries FTEs
  • TOP members request a correction to LBB miscalculation and adjustment (increase) of 12.2 FTE in each year in Strategy A.2.3.

• Reinstatement of capital budget
  • TOP members request reinstatement of capital budget authority for information technology, transportation and capital equipment items.

TPWD Legislative Appropriations Request Presentation

Download TPWD LAR For 82nd Legislature

Meeting Notes from September 2010 Meeting

Texas Outdoor Partners  

September 2010 Meeting Minutes  

Cabelas, September 9th, 10:00am  

 Call to Order  

Attending in person:  

Gerry Stearns, NAGA  

Gene Holloway, TBBU  

Richard Benson, TDHA  

Joe Leveridge, TDHA  

Dr. Jim Cathey, TBCF & TCTWS  

Iliana Pena, Audubon  

Shane Kiefer, Plateau  

Joe Betar, TTHA  

Matt Phillips, TNC  

Robert Linder, NWTF & RMEF  

Randi Wayland, TABC & METRO  

John Thomas, Austin Woods & Waters  

Michael Gookins, RMEF  

Jason Parrish, TexasHuntFish.com  

Joey Park, CCA  

Lindy Ellason, TBBU  

Warren Bluntzer, TDA  

John Jefferson, AWWC  

Chris Susilovich, HSC  

Vernon Bevill, TPWD  

Gene McCarty, TPWD  

Matt wagner, TPWD  

Ross Melinchuk, TPWD  

 Attending by phone:  

Edward Parton, TBBU  

Tim Cook, Texas BASS Federation Nation  

Pam Arredondo, Saltwater‐Fisheries Enhancement Assoc. 

TPWD Legislative Appropriations Request & Discussion of Legislative Activity  

Gene McCarty, TPWD presented the FY 2012‐13 Legislative Appropriations 

• Request Update   
• Baseline request may not exceed 2010‐2011 base (less 5% reduction)  
• Additionally must identify 10% reduction of General Revenue related funds  
• Total General Revenue Dedicated Reduction of $48.9M  
• Reviewed New Riders  
• Reviewed Exceptional Items  
• Joey to attach copy of the powerpoint for everyone review  

Big Bend Wilderness Habitat Designation  

What is the real story?  

Who are the people behind it?  

Links to review:  

• http://www.bigbendfriends.org/news/action‐alerts   
• http://www.outdoorindustry.org   
• http://www.bigbendfriends.org/wp‐content/uploads/2009/08/TWS‐6‐09‐ 

Wilderness‐overview.pdf   

• http://www.google.com/search?ie=UTF‐8&oe=UTF‐8&sourceid=navclient&gfns=1q=big+bend+national+park+a+haven+for+wildlife#sclient=psy&hl=enq=designating+wilderness+area+in+big+bend&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=&pbx=1&fp=f42cedd875d403c4   

• http://www.nationalparkstraveler.com/2009/12/updated‐big‐bend‐national‐park‐draft‐wilderness‐proposal‐draws‐attention‐road‐corridors5092   

• http://wilderness.org/files/Big‐Bend‐National‐Park‐Wilderness.pdf   

• http://whois.domaintools.com/tws.org   

• http://wilderness.org  

• http://earthday.wilderness.org/  

 Right to Hunt Amendment  

Darren La Sorte, Manager, NRA‐ILA Hunting Policy, reviewed NRA‐ILA Hunting Policy, specifically Arizona Proposition 109.

Kirby asked, "What is the budget for fighting HSUS in Arizona?" Darren said, "I don't have exact numbers."  

Warren asked, "What is the consequence of loosing." Darren said, "We will try again."  

NRA Charity Navigator Link:  

http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=search.summary&orgid=5450  

HSUS Charity Navigator Link:  

http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=search.summary&orgid=3848   

HSUS Financial Statement 2009:  

http://www.humanesociety.org/assets/pdfs/publications/2009‐annual‐ 

report/financial_operations_report.pdf     

PETA Financial Statement 2009: http://www.peta.org/about/numbers.asp   

NRA Article in Washington Post: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp‐dyn/content/article/2010/06/16/AR2010061605341.html  

 EPA Lead Ban  

• Darren La Sorte, Manager, NRA‐ILA Hunting Policy, reviewed the EPA attempt to ban lead shot and fishing weights.  
• Hunting applications are excluded already.  
• Fishing applications are NOT excluded and will most likely loose the fight.  

 

TOP Communication Efforts  

Introduced new email server  

Created TOP Member Email Group – thank you to Joe Betar & TTHA for compiling  

Created outbound email address: President@TexasOutdoorPartners.org  

www.TexasOutdoorPartners.org supports RSS feed  

TOP Twitter Account to follow: http://twitter.com/outdoorpartners   

 Next Full TOP Meeting  

Scheduled for 11/11/11 at Cabela’s.  

 Other Business  

None  

 Adjourn