Fish And Game Defends Plan To Raise Money

The Idaho Fish and Game Commission and its director defended the two-phased financial bailout for the department on Friday, telling lawmakers it is reasonable.

“Maybe we are crazy, but we’re here for the first year anyway,” Commission Chairman Fred Wood told the Senate Resources and Environment Committee.

Faced with dwindling revenues, Director Steve Mealey slashed spending by more than $3 million in 15 months.

After an analysis, the commission agreed that it needed about $7.6 million more each year to maintain the department’s fundamental operations. The commissioners decided to take a year to build public support for the revenue hikes, only to realize the department needed at least $1.4 million as soon as possible for game management and enforcement against regulation violators.

They plan to take the next year to formulate a long-term plan to raise the remaining $6.2 million and build public support for it so lawmakers would have no problems endorsing it.