Something Fishy And Gamey About the New Canoe-Tax [Updated & Bumped] - Granite Grok

Something Fishy And Gamey About the New Canoe-Tax [Updated & Bumped]

person-carrying-a-canoe-silhouette-md
Wow, this thing just got heavier…Nope. Sorry, weighs the same after all.

Update- There was something Fishy and Gamey about the Canoe Tax reported by the Eagle Tribune.  We’ve been informed that there is no such bill.  (Details on the jump- below my original post.)

Original post from 12-11-2013

I’ve been watching this news filter through social media, and I read Skip’s post about it earlier, and my mind began to wonder as I read this from the Eagle

Tribune…

Traditionally, the agency has been self-sustaining, paying expenses almost entirely out of the fees charged for hunting, fishing and other licenses and permits.

But the number of people buying hunting and fishing licenses has been declining for a decade, reflecting a nationwide change in recreation habits. But as fewer people take up the gun and the rod, who’s going to pay for Fish and Game services, not to mention the salaries and benefits of agency employees?

If the reason for declining revenue is fewer people engaging in the activity for which Fish and Game exists why do they need more money and not less?  And why do we need to do with less to pay the tax so Fish and Game, whose mandate is in decline, can have more?

[End of original post]

The following was provided to us by Tom Cronin, Communications Director for the NH Senate regarding the Eagle Tribunes reporting that GOP State Senator Odell had filed a bill proposing the canoe tax.  (The Tribune will be issuing a correction.)

“…Sen. Odell has not filed such legislation (you can view all of the bills he has filed using the drop down menu here: http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/lsr_search/) and I do not believe it has been filed in the House either.

With regards to the committee recommendations, … While the commission did include asking the legislature to consider a number of fee adjustments, it prefaced that recommendation by writing:  “While the Commission was able to explore some revenue options during its deliberations, there are more ideas and input from stakeholders that should be explored before a final set of recommendations to implement a comprehensive sustainability model for the Department is brought to the legislature.”

…the only committee recommendations that is moving forward in bill form at this time is to extend the life of the commission in order to continuing looking at this issue.  Regardless of the committee recommendations, however, the key point is that Sen. Odell has not filed nor sponsored legislation to create this tax.

No tax.  No fee.

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