Commission Approves 13.7 Percent Fee Hike Proposal

Meeting in Orofino November 17-19, the Idaho Fish and Game Commission decided to seek legislative approval of a 13.7 increase in Fish and Game fees. The 13.7 increase was accompanied by a second proposal when it was presented to the public for comment. The second idea would allow the Commission to set license and tag fees incrementally in a rule-making process which would require legislative approval. The idea of fee setting by the Commission was developed in an attempt by Fish and Game to avoid large bumps in fees that have traditionally occurred several years apart. Citing lack of political support for the concept, the Commission agreed with Director Steve Huffaker to drop the second part of the fee package before presenting it to the legislature in the coming session. In public meetings around the state, both the 13.7 percent increase and Commission fee setting were presented for comment. The two-part proposal gained the endorsement of several sportsmen organizations including two whose representatives appeared at the Commission's Orofino public hearing session. Huffaker told the Commission that the 13.7 percent increase would cover department requirements only through the next budget year but a higher fee increase would not be sought in the coming legislative session because the public has not had an opportunity to comment on a figure other than the 13.7 percent proposed. He said the governor's office had asked the department to come up with a plan for cutting more than $2 million from current operations in case the increase is not passed in the legislature. Steve Barton, legislative and financial assistant to the director, explained that the department is gliding "toward ground zero" by using up the funding retained from the last fee increase passed five years ago. This was planned but anticipates being able to raise fees for licenses and tags when the fund is depleted.