JACKAL
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Important TENNESSEE WMA FEE INCREASE Information:
Most of you have seen the proposed rate increases in the Tennessee WMA's floating around social media. I've had conversations with the people that count and below is an outline of what we ALL need to do if we do if we want to see an amendment to this outlandish and ridiculous fee increase proposal.
OFFICIAL PUBLIC COMMENT PORTAL: Public Comments portal on these proposed changes:
Written Comments will be accepted through the Agency’s public comment form through November 30, 2024, using the following link:
https://stateoftennessee.formstack.com/.../twra_license...
Below is a mock letter draft that you can use to email the 13 TN Fish & Game District Commissioners listed at the bottom of this post. Feel free to adjust the email if necessary but MAKE SURE to put YOUR name at the bottom. If you want to voice your opinion on the rate increases, this is the time and these are the people that count. not hashing it on Social Media. See the very bottom of this post for the list of Commissioners to email.
TWRA Commission votes on this proposed increase on December 5th & 6th in Memphis TN we have until 11/30 to make our voices heard.
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"Dear Commissioner,
I've recently been made aware of the proposed rate increases for the TN WMA systems. The proposed rate increases for OHV in the NCWMA are completely outrageous and in my opinion are designed to rid OHV riders, all together, especially the out of state riders that feed the local economy. Please also consider the businesses who depend on this tourism, such as the campgrounds, hotels, Airbnb rentals, restaurants, repair facilities, guide services and the tax base that it brings into our government offices. Your current rate increases will create DEMAND DESTRUCTION for Campbell County.
Recently in your September meeting, Director Maxedon said that when the General Assembly voted OHV into the WMA that it was to be self sustainable and said that, "as you all know it is not" and that OHV creates a $5.3 million deficit to the budget. The fact is, the NCWMA never received any OHV permit fees to apply to their operating budget because the permit fees were purposefully disguised as hunting/fishing permits in order to get federal funds which ultimately went into the TWRA general fund. The NCWMA had to rely on RT grants to operate the trail maintenance with a meager budget. Had the permit fees been set up appropriately as the Rule allowed this would not be an issue today.
In addition, the proposed rate structure is discriminatory towards non-residents. The annual fee of $500 is the highest anywhere and completely unreasonable. Why not set the NR annual at a reasonable fee of $250 for a year and then re-evaluate it with a stair stepped approach. Most commercial businesses would never dream of only raising their fees every ten years. A yearly adjustment based on the cost of inflation is more common.
One last thing, as for the erosion issues, the logging in this WMA does more harm to stream run-off and trail damage than OHV ever does. The band-aid approach to trail maintenance could greatly improve with the proper budget. Example: the West Virginia (Hatfield & McCoy) trail system only charges $50 for a permit and has a trail maintenance team for every 100 miles.
Please, I implore you to reconsider the outrageous, proposed fees.
Sincerely,
YOUR NAME HERE
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Please email the letter to EACH of these commissioners .
Jimmy Granberry - [email protected]
Chris Devaney - [email protected]
Greg Davenport - [email protected]
Tommy Woods - [email protected]
Ford Little - [email protected]
Rhonda Moody - [email protected]
Stan Butt - [email protected]
Monte Belew - [email protected]
Brad Box - [email protected]
Hank Wright - [email protected]
Bill Cox - [email protected]
Chip Saltsman - [email protected]
Wally Childress - [email protected]
Full Redlined proposal attached as PDF Below:
Most of you have seen the proposed rate increases in the Tennessee WMA's floating around social media. I've had conversations with the people that count and below is an outline of what we ALL need to do if we do if we want to see an amendment to this outlandish and ridiculous fee increase proposal.
OFFICIAL PUBLIC COMMENT PORTAL: Public Comments portal on these proposed changes:
Written Comments will be accepted through the Agency’s public comment form through November 30, 2024, using the following link:
https://stateoftennessee.formstack.com/.../twra_license...
Below is a mock letter draft that you can use to email the 13 TN Fish & Game District Commissioners listed at the bottom of this post. Feel free to adjust the email if necessary but MAKE SURE to put YOUR name at the bottom. If you want to voice your opinion on the rate increases, this is the time and these are the people that count. not hashing it on Social Media. See the very bottom of this post for the list of Commissioners to email.
TWRA Commission votes on this proposed increase on December 5th & 6th in Memphis TN we have until 11/30 to make our voices heard.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
"Dear Commissioner,
I've recently been made aware of the proposed rate increases for the TN WMA systems. The proposed rate increases for OHV in the NCWMA are completely outrageous and in my opinion are designed to rid OHV riders, all together, especially the out of state riders that feed the local economy. Please also consider the businesses who depend on this tourism, such as the campgrounds, hotels, Airbnb rentals, restaurants, repair facilities, guide services and the tax base that it brings into our government offices. Your current rate increases will create DEMAND DESTRUCTION for Campbell County.
Recently in your September meeting, Director Maxedon said that when the General Assembly voted OHV into the WMA that it was to be self sustainable and said that, "as you all know it is not" and that OHV creates a $5.3 million deficit to the budget. The fact is, the NCWMA never received any OHV permit fees to apply to their operating budget because the permit fees were purposefully disguised as hunting/fishing permits in order to get federal funds which ultimately went into the TWRA general fund. The NCWMA had to rely on RT grants to operate the trail maintenance with a meager budget. Had the permit fees been set up appropriately as the Rule allowed this would not be an issue today.
In addition, the proposed rate structure is discriminatory towards non-residents. The annual fee of $500 is the highest anywhere and completely unreasonable. Why not set the NR annual at a reasonable fee of $250 for a year and then re-evaluate it with a stair stepped approach. Most commercial businesses would never dream of only raising their fees every ten years. A yearly adjustment based on the cost of inflation is more common.
One last thing, as for the erosion issues, the logging in this WMA does more harm to stream run-off and trail damage than OHV ever does. The band-aid approach to trail maintenance could greatly improve with the proper budget. Example: the West Virginia (Hatfield & McCoy) trail system only charges $50 for a permit and has a trail maintenance team for every 100 miles.
Please, I implore you to reconsider the outrageous, proposed fees.
Sincerely,
YOUR NAME HERE
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Please email the letter to EACH of these commissioners .
Jimmy Granberry - [email protected]
Chris Devaney - [email protected]
Greg Davenport - [email protected]
Tommy Woods - [email protected]
Ford Little - [email protected]
Rhonda Moody - [email protected]
Stan Butt - [email protected]
Monte Belew - [email protected]
Brad Box - [email protected]
Hank Wright - [email protected]
Bill Cox - [email protected]
Chip Saltsman - [email protected]
Wally Childress - [email protected]
Full Redlined proposal attached as PDF Below:
Attachments
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