CCA

Coastal Conservation Association Virginia Alert

Governor Kaine has extended the raid on the recreational fishing fund to the new 2008-2010 biennium budget. CCA VA would like to thank all of you for writing letters to the Governor and your senators and delegates but we need your help again when the General Assembly of Virginia opens for business on January 9th. Contact your senator and delegates that must approve Governor Kaine's budgets before they become law.

CCA Virginia Alert

Governor Kaine’s Raid on Your Fishing License Money

Action You Can Take NOW:

Starting January 9th, call 800-889-0229 between 9 am and 5 pm weekdays and tell the operator to let your legislators know you strongly object to the Governor plan to use the dedicated Recreational Fishing Development fund money to replace general funds in VMRC’s operating budget from now until 2010. Get your relatives, neighbors and fishing buddies to call, too.

Background and Details

In July 1992, the Virginia General Assembly enacted legislation authorizing the implementation of a saltwater recreational fishing license with the proceeds deposited into a dedicated, non-reverting recreational fishing development fund.

In 2004, CCA supported legislation to allow the Virginia Marine Resources Commission (VMRC) to increase license and permit fees levied for recreational and commercial fishing. A citizens committee developed the parameters for the legislation and CCA volunteers participated in this process. The committee felt it was important any fee increases be equitable and also felt it was critical the proceeds of such fee increases stay in the dedicated recreational and commercial license funds and not be used to replace general funds. Further they felt that both of these dedicated funds needed additional money in order to better serve their user group's needs.

None of that has changed. However, Governor Kaine is now proposing to break the trust recreational fishermen placed in the process and transfer $416,357 from the dedicated non-reverting Virginia Saltwater Recreational Fishing Development Fund into the general fund in order to help cover shortfalls of revenue in the present Virginia state budget. In addition to covering these unanticipated shortfalls, Governor Kaine’s has proposed that the raid on the Virginia Saltwater Recreational Fishing Development Fund continue into the July 2008 – June 2010 biennium budget.

The only way we can prevent this type of raid on our license funds is for YOU to let Richmond know that YOU want them to honor the promise made by the Governor’s predecessors, former Secretaries of Natural Resources, and the Legislature. The promise is that our license money would not replace the general funds allocated to VMRC, VIMS and other state agencies. It will take a lot of phone calls, letters, faxes and emails to state senators and delegates to turn this raid around. You have to insist they not break their agreements between recreational fishermen and the government regarding the dedicated nature of this fund. If the Governor and the General Assembly are successful in raiding the funds this year, we will undoubtedly see more raids on the VSRFDF Funds in the future.

According to the code of Virginia section 28.2-302.3, the Fund and the interest on the Fund shall not revert to the general fund. The Fund is financed from the sale of Saltwater Fishing Licenses. “The Fund shall be administered by the Commission, to be used solely for the purposes of conserving and enhancing finfish species taken by recreational anglers; enforcing the provisions of §§ 28.2-302, 28.2-302.1, and 28.2-302.6 through 28.2-302.9 and regulations promulgated thereunder [enforcing the license]; improving recreational fishing opportunities; administrating the Virginia Saltwater Sport Fishing Tournament certificates program; obtaining necessary data and conducting research for fisheries management; and creating or restoring habitat for species taken by recreational fishermen. The Fund shall consist of moneys collected pursuant to §§ 28.2-302, 28.2-302.2, and 28.2-302.6 through 28.2-302.9.” Since inception of the legislation in 1992 creating the Fund, $27,367,369.00 has been raised from the sale of saltwater fishing licenses to recreational anglers. The first meeting of 2008 of the Virginia Recreational Fishing Advisory Board (RFAB) will be on January 14th 2008 at VMRC with about 2.5 million dollars in new project funding requests and about $737,000 available to fund new projects. It is clear the fund cannot afford to be raided.

http://www.mrc.state.va.us/vsrfdf/current.shtm

CCA Virginia asks You to Help Us to Help You.

Contact your Senator and Delegate at the General Assembly and tell them that you are strongly opposed to Governor Kaine’s proposals to take money from the Virginia Saltwater Recreational Fishing Development Fund to cover general fund budget shortfalls in the amended 2006-2008 Virginia budget and the 2008-2010 Virginia budget. If you do not know what Senator or Delegate represents you, that information is available on the General Assembly Website http://conview.state.va.us/whosmy.nsf/main?openform

There are a number of ways that you can contact your Senator or Delegate.

a. By Email on the Web Visit the House of Delegates and the Senate of Virginia membership pages. http://dela.state.va.us/dela/MemBios.nsf/MWebsiteTL08?OpenView http://sov.state.va.us/SenatorDB.nsf/WSenatorsElect?OpenForm

b. By Phone When the General Assembly is in session, the House of Delegates and Senate of Virginia jointly operate a toll-free, intrastate telephone message center to accept calls from citizens of the Commonwealth wishing to express an opinion on legislation. The messages are received by the center and will be relayed to the members' offices as requested. You may call the Constituent Viewpoint operators at (800) 889-0229 (outside Richmond) or 698-1990 (Richmond area) to express your opinion on a legislative issue. This number will be available between 9:00 AM and 5 PM starting on January 9th.

c. By Mail During the General Assembly session, Delegates and Senators can be reached at their offices in the General Assembly Building in Richmond. http://dela.state.va.us/dela/MemBios.nsf/MWebsiteCO?OpenView http://sov.state.va.us/SenatorDB.nsf/$$Viewtemplate%2Bfor%2BWCapitolOffices?OpenForm

Numbers count, so if you and your spouse, adult children, neighbors, fishing buddies, etc. will all make a contact, we can stop the raid by this administration.

Here is a sample letter on the Virginia Saltwater Recreational Development Fund:

Mrs. Terry Smith 100 Main Street Anytown, VA 23222

The Honorable (Delegate/Senator's First and Last Name)

910 Capitol Square

Richmond, Virginia 23219

Dear Senator or Delegate,

Since 1993 the proceeds from the saltwater recreational licenses have gone into a dedicated fund known as the Virginia Saltwater Recreational Development Fund. That dedicated fund was initiated and has been maintained with the mutual understanding between recreational fishermen state wide, the Administration and Legislature that these funds stay separate from the General Fund and that any use of the funds be reviewed by a board made up of recreational fishermen. I am deeply disappointed that Governor Kaine has decided to break the promises made by the legislators and previous administrations to take money from the non-general Virginia Saltwater Recreational Development Fund to fund general fund expenses. I urge you to find other sources from the General Fund to fund the shortfall of revenue in the state budget.

Sincerely,

Your Name Address Phone Number

Frank A. Kearney III Co-Chairman CCA VA Fisheries Management Committee FAKIII@bigfoot.com

CCA Virginia Website http://www.ccavirginia.org/

CCA Virginia Email CCAVA@cox.net