I hope you all will consider giving your Rep. a call. This bill needs to die.

HB1450

HB1450, which would dissolve all dedicated funds and eliminate the Warmwater program funds we have fought so hard to create, is still alive. This bill would eliminate, with a stroke of a pen, every dedicated fund in the budget. Goodbye, pheasant enhancement. So long, Puget Sound enhancement. It will be a disaster.

The WDFW has already begun robbing these dedicated funds to pay for other programs, in anticipation of the passage of HB1450. Approximately $300,000 is cut from the warmwater program by the WDFW's proposed budget and shifted to "general funds." That $300,000 is then put into other programs.

Walleyes Unlimited feels that this diversion of funds is illegal. Ron Sawyer, of the Grant County Fish Advisory Council, put it very well in a letter to legislators;

First, it is prohibited in RCW 77.44.050 which states that "funds for warm water game fish as provided in RCW 77.32.440 shall not serve as replacement funding for department-operated warm water fish projects existing on December 31, 1994." Secondly, the department notes that this action "will result in reduced public opportunity for warm water game fish." This is in stark contrast to the stated purpose of RCW 77.44.010 and will obviously have a negative impact on the economy of Central Washington which has a heavy reliance on fishing and tourism dollars. Finally, it is my opinion that this questionable shifting of funds by the Department is a betrayal of promises made to fisherpeople who have paid into the Warm Water Account since its inception.

Ron has it exactly right. Diversion of warmwater funds is prohibited by law and a betrayal of a trust placed by warmwater anglers in state government. Many of you may recall that at the time of the passage of the legislation authorizing the Warmwater Enhancement fund, some legislators stated that they would not vote for a new tax. We, the warm water angling community, told those hesitant legislators that6 we welcomed the added fee, that we had a plan for it, and that we would follow through to ensure that it was spent properly.

By any measure, the warmwater program has been a success. There are over 4,000,000 angler man-days of recreation in Washington attributed to the warmwater fishery. In the very best years, salmon angling provides only 1,500,000 man days of recreation! At a very conservative figure of $50.00 per trip, warmwater angling contributes over $200,000,000 to the economy of Washington. That's right - two hundred million dollars.

Time is of the essence. You must write or call your legislators today! Tell them that you oppose the diversion of warmwater funds that would be made possible by the passage of HB1450. Tell your legislators that dedicated funds ensure that money is spent where the public wants it spent, and that the passage of HB1450 would be a breach of public trust. Tell your legislators that HB1450 must be defeated!

Region Two Closure

Another immediate problem is the OBM (Office of Budget and Management) proposal to close Region Two offices and move operations to Yakima. This would create a single huge region, stretching from border to border. The WDFW is opposed to this proposal, and so is Walleyes Unlimited.

Region Two has the greatest number of angler man-days of any region in the state. It is nonsensical to close the Ephrata office and move operations to a location hundreds of miles from the resource.

Closing Region Two would result in a greatly decreased level of service for fishers and hunters in the Columbia Basin. It would probably result in less research and a lower enforcement presence. Staff would have to make overnight trips to perform duties that can now be performed out of the office. This expense might well offset any money saved by this action.

The closure of the Ephrata office would have a severe economic impact on Ephrata.

Absentee management is a guarantee of eventual failure.

When you call your legislators to voice your opposition to HB1450, be sure to add that closing Region Two offices would be a serious mistake, one that would reduce services and leave the resource open to deterioration through neglect.

It is crucial that we have letters and phone calls from all areas of the state in opposition to these two issues. There is literally no time to lose.

LEGISLATIVE HOTLINE: 1-800-562-6000

Please, everyone, make the call.