Total Revenue in the State of Vermont: Wildlife and FishRoss Saxton, PA 395At the end of fiscal 2006 (July 1, 2005 to June 30, 2006), the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department received a total of $14,702,884 for wildlife and fish conservation projects. The sources of the funds is as follows:- License Fee Revenues- $5,409,130 (36.8%)- Federal Funds, USFWS- $4,928,390 (33.5%)- General Fund- $2,101,771 (14.3%)- Other Departmental Income- $621,871 (4.2%)- Gas Tax- $592,453 (4.0%)- Federal Funds, Other- $363,787 (2.5%)- Boat Registrations- $243,617 (1.7%)- GF, Rooms and Meals- $200,000 (1.4%)- License Plate Sales- $125,986 (0.8%)- Income Tax Check Off- $99,710 (0.7%)- Duck Stamp- $16,169 (0.1%)- Total: $14,702,884The 11 categorized sources of funding for the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department are essential to conservation in Vermont. Some sources bring more funding to the Fish and Wildlife Department, while others bring in much less, but they all are valuable, for they add up to an amount that is achievable only by these methods at current time. License fee revenues provide the most amount of funding for the Fish and Wildlife Department, which are derived from hunting, fishing, and trapping licenses sold to instate and out-of-state residents. Although licenses have been the greatest source of funding, the sales of licenses have been steadily declining. Possible reasons for this are more residents moving to Vermont without hunting or fishing as a part of their family culture, families moving out of Vermont, and decreased luxury time for residents due to work. The second highest source of funding consists of Federal funds that are collected for the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department are comprised from taxes on certain sporting equipment. The Pittman-Robertson Act taxes guns and ammunition while the Dingell-Johnson Act taxes fishing equipment. As the third highest source of funding, the GeneralFund has many contributing factors, such as property taxes, income taxes, fines, licenses and permits (such as building permits), and more. This was a new source of funding to the Fish and Wildlife Department as of 2005. “Other” departmental income includes leases from agriculture and camps on wildlife management areas, sales of timber (~$177,000), dog licenses, grants from the Vermont Association of Snow Travelers (VAST) and Vermont All Terrain Vehicle Association(VASA), and tuition from conservation camps ($124,000) (Sher Yacono, direct contact). A new source to funding as of approximately 10 years ago, the gas tax of Vermont has been appropriating 3/8 of one cent to conservation efforts. Of the total funds from the gas tax, 76% goes to the Fish and Wildlife Department and 24% goes to department of forests, parks, and recreation. The gas tax is seen as an appropriate method by the legislature for collecting funds forwildlife and forests since “many nonresidents and residents drive to outdoor areas of Vermont in order to view our natural resources, to hunt and fish and to use our natural resources for other healthful recreational purposes” (Title 23, Ch. 28, Sec. 3106. Vermont Constitution). Federalfunds (other), which are about 2.5% of total funding for the department, are derived from grants from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association, for chronic wasting disease and more (Sher Yacono, direct contact). Another funding source, boat registration, creates revenue that is received from instate and out-of-state residents who must register their motorized boats for recreation in Vermont’s waterways. Although the rooms and meals tax is a part of the general fund, it is considered its own source of funding. This is because the Department for Tourism and Marketing used to give a percentage to the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department, but since 2005, the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department receives the flat amount of $200,000 (Sher Yacono, direct contact). License plate sales produce funding from instate vehicle owners, where they buy special conservation plates. Vermont residents can buy either a catamount or peregrine falcon plate for $20, which is on top of regular vehicle registration. Since 1997, when the plates were introduced, over $1.5 million has been generated for the Non-Game Wildlife Fund and the Watershed Grants Program (www.vtfishandwildlife.com). A check-off has been available as a part of Vermont income taxes for non-game wildlife since 1985 (www.vtfishandwildlife.com). Creating the least amount of funding for the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department, Duck stamps are required for any hunter who wants to hunt waterfowl in Vermont. A stamp must be purchased for each bird that is killed. Collectors of the stamps also purchase them. Hunting, fishing, and wildlife watching is a substantial contributing factor to the Vermonteconomy. Dr. Alphonse Gilbert of the University of Vermont estimated that hunting contributes about $112 million and fishing $120 million annually to the Vermont economy. Wildlife observers and bird feeder maintainers contribute about $53 million annually to the Vermont economy (Vermont Agency of Natural Resources). This total amount nears $300 million. Recent reports have estimated that wildlife related activities have added at least $23.9 million to the states tax revenues sales and income taxes (Report of the Fish and Wildlife Department Funding Task Force). Hunters and fishers stay in hotels, buy food and other necessities, and purchase various merchandise such as souvenirs and clothing. Wildlife watchers engage in similareconomic activities, but also buy birdseed and items such as binoculars and field guides from local stores. The Vermont legislature decides where the funds go from collected taxes (e.g. the General Fund). The funds that are allocated to the Fish and Wildlife Department, as well as fundsthat are raised by the Fish and Wildlife Department itself, are developed into a plan on how they are used. The plan is a collaboration of the Fish and Wildlife staff, such as the business manager, division director, operations director, commissioner, and others. There are also reports presented to the funding managers that depict where the money is most needed within the Fish and WildlifeDepartment. Although the plan is a collaboration of staff ideas and research results, the commissioner of the department ultimately determines how the received funding is used (GeorgeGay, direct contact). As an additional source of funding for the conservation
View Full Document
Unlocking...