April 30, 2007

The Honorable Warren Chisum

The Honorable Dan Gattis

The Honorable Ryan Guillen

The Honorable Lois Kolkhorst

The Honorable Sylvester Turner

The Honorable Steve Ogden

The Honorable Judith Zaffirini

The Honorable John Whitmire

The Honorable Tommy Williams

The Honorable Robert Duncan

Dear House and Senate Budget Conferees:

The listed sportsmen’s/conservation-minded organizations represent over 5 million hunters, anglers, conservationists and landowners in Texas.  As you proceed with deliberations regarding the state budget for the next biennium, we strongly encourage you to consider the following:

• Sportsmen’s/conservation groups want to thank you for continuing to protect Fund 9 dedicated sportsmen’s dollars derived from hunting and fishing licenses and stamps, and provide critical appropriations that lead to spending down the Fund 9 balance over the next 3-4 years.  Federal Aid funds under Pittman-Robertson and Dingell-Johnson totaling more than $26 million dollars a year are at stake.  Sportsmen’s state license dollars and stamps have been dedicated to this 75% federal match from excise taxes on guns, ammunition and fishing equipment since the 1930s.  The loss of federal funds will be devastating to wildlife, fisheries and law enforcement. 
• Fully fund state parks by fully funding the Texas Parks and Wildlife request for salaries, operating, minor and capital repairs, equipment, land acquisition, and Prop 8 bonds.  Please fund the parks at the Speaker’s requested level of at least $100 million annually for operating, local parks grants, and willing seller land acquisition and development.  We believe the audit results clearly demonstrate that additional funding for salaries – boots on the ground - is critical. We support the department’s commendable commitment to get church youth groups, scouts, minorities, and others in the outdoors by being flexible on costs for groups, especially in our low income and minority communities.  The first outdoor experience for most Texans is in a state park, and sportsmen support full park funding.
• Keep Rider 27 as per the House version, allowing TPWD to spend revenues in excess of estimates.  Sportsmen agree it is critical to retain Rider 27 in the House language for revenues in excess to be returned for use in sportsmen’s activities and conservation.  It has worked well and needs to remain just like it is today.  Why should sportsmen’s and conservation groups help the department get additional private, federal or NGO grants and funds if it cannot be spent or there is a cap on these expenditures.  Please remove any cap on this rider by adopting the House version.
• Appropriate the Freshwater Fisheries Stamp Funds for hatcheries.  This stamp fund continues to build beyond expectations and it is critical to fully appropriate the funds directly for hatchery construction, repair and maintenance, saving the sportsmen of Texas millions of dollars in unnecessary spending toward debt service on bonds.  We believe the best option is to adopt the department’s request for $18 million.

The listed sportsmen’s/conservation groups want to thank you in advance for listening to our concerns and taking the necessary actions to address them.  This is important for us and for Texas.  Please call Kirby Brown, Chairman of Texas Outdoor Partners at 210/826-2904 if you need additional information.

Sincerely,    

Anglers Club of San Antonio

Audubon Texas

Austin Woods and Waters Club

Coastal Bend Bays and Estuaries Program

Coastal Conservation Association Texas

Dallas Safari Club

Ducks Unlimited

Exotic Wildlife Association

Gulf Coast Chapter, Safari Club International

Houston Safari Club

LBJ Fish and Habitat Project

Lone Star Bowhunters Association

North Texas Chapter, Safari Club International

Plateau Land and Wildlife

Pheasants Forever

Quail Forever

Quail Unlimited

Quality Deer Management Association

Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation

Safari Club International, Austin Chapter

Saltwater-fisheries Enhancement Association

SCIF Austin Sables

Texas Association of Bass Clubs

Texas BASS Federation Nation

Texas Bighorn Society

Texas Black Bass Unlimited

Texas Brigades

Texas Chapter, National Wild Turkey Federation

Texas Chapter of The Wildlife Society

Texas Dog Hunters Association

Texas Deer Association

Texas Gulf Coast Stewards

TexasHuntFish.Com

Texas Mining and Reclamation Association 

Texas Organization of Wildlife Management Associations

Texas Outdoor Council

Texas Recreational Fishing Alliance

Texas Sportsman’s Association

Texas State Rifle Association

Texas Teaming with Wildlife Coalition

Texas Taxidermy Association, Inc.

Texas Wildlife Association 

The Nature Conservancy of Texas

cc:        The Honorable Tom Craddick, Speaker

            The Honorable David Dewhurst, Lt. Governor