AR-News: (US PA) Opposition dooms hunting, fishing merger

[Animalara2003 at aol.com]

HARRISBURG (AP) — Concern over a political backlash from merging the state 
agencies that manage fishing and hunting will push back any such proposal until 
after the November election — if one goes forward at all, the chairman of the 
House Game and Fisheries Committee predicted Tuesday.
"It's too controversial to consider just before an election," said Chairman 
Bruce Smith, R-York, who recently sent a memo to other legislators that noted 
vocal opposition has emerged to combining the Game Commission with the Fish and 
Boat Commission.
"I don't want members blind-sided with people, especially in an election 
year, attacking them because of their position on a merger," said Smith, who has 
not taken a position on the subject.
Both agencies are strongly opposed, and the Game Commission recently 
completed an internal study estimating a merger's startup costs at $11.5 million, 
followed by $5.3 million annually in additional expenses. Consolidation would 
require 20 more employees than the two separate commissions currently have, 
according to the Game Commission.





full story:
http://www.poconorecord.com/local/tjd70317.htm





"The world is a dangerous place,
not because of those who do evil,
but because of those who look on and do nothing."
Albert Einstein    

                         /\   /\         
                        >' .' <                                
         There is no justice, just us!  
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://lists.envirolink.org/pipermail/ar-news/attachments/20040225/4939b952/attachment.html