“A libertarian presidential candidate isn’t going to win anyway, so he can afford to say that all taxation is theft, and it isn’t the job of a libertarian presidential candidate to cook up new ways to commit theft.” —L. Neil Smith
There is a bill in the legislature to implement a fee on Canoes and Kayaks. Not a good thing. In fact, it is a very bad thing. Moreover, such a small fee could actually have a deleterious impact on other areas of the Granite State’s recreational economy. But do also notice there is no outrage or love shown for those who foot the bill… fees paid by the hunters, anglers, trappers and boaters. In essence the canoers and Kayakers have been getting a free ride. That is an observation, not a complaint. (Other than the obnoxious bastards who claim ownership to public boat launches with their kayaks.)
Personally, I pay $22 for a hunting license; $16 for a Muzzleloader license, $26 for a Pheasant tag (those revenues fund the pheasant program) $16 for a Turkey Stamp; $5 for a migratory waterfowl license (with HIP). For a total of $85. Then on top of that, I purchase, Archery – $22; Special Deer Archery – $16 for $123. and finally, $2.50 for the Wildlife Habitat Management fee. Not to mention that I am also a licensed trapper.
Then there is a the associated fees to register a boat…$52 for a 23 foot boat. $7.50 lake restoration and preservation fund; $1 for fish and game search and rescue fund; $5 authorized agent fees collected and retained by the authorized agent as compensation for processing the registration; $5 for paid into the statewide public boat access fund. $2 for tidal or coastal waters. to be paid into the harbor dredging and pier maintenance fund. I pay them without complaint, that is until I get pushed by those who pay nothing.
So the detractors will now say, “Don’t like the fees? stay home! don’t pay them” which is an easy (and patently lazy) argument to make if one is a Kayaker or a canoeist. My in-laws have Kayaks, and my wife loves to Kayak….But I still hate Kayakers. There is a certain sense of entitlement that lends itself to canoeing and Kayaking.
For all that Fish and Game does, they already run pretty lean. Perhaps taxing a bunch of freeloading Kayakers and Canoes is a regressive approach, but there is little love shown to those who do pay the freight.
Finally, there is OHRV registration. Fish & Game is tasked with this. Unfortunately, fees outpace the enforcement component of this because Law Enforcement, in addition to Federal Migratory laws, State Fish & Game Laws and Salt water fishing laws, are also tasked with this enforcement. N.H. has roughly 60 F&G officers for the entire state, the bulk of which focus on wildlife issues.
If folks want to do the “us against them,” thing? I am all in and I think we can win…But there are many who had failed to take a good hard look at what Fish & Game does and have failed to take that into account. Everytime the license fees are raised, that excludes some.
Fish & Game should be fully compensated for Search and Rescue. that can sometimes be very expensive. Fish and Game should be fully compensated for some levels of enforcement, not related to wildlife and hunting. DRED should be breaking their necks on Boater access not Fish and Game. Charging a fee to Kayaks and Canoes is not likely useful..but neither is the snarky care free attitude toward hunters and anglers about it useful either.
Hunters, Boaters and Anglers pay the fees…What say you? [Insert Crickets chirping] Granite State Taxpayers do not fund fish and Game. But the legislature is a bunch of lousy thieves, Republican and Democrat alike.
