This morning at 10:30 I am giving a talk on IDNR issues at the Chicagoland Muskie Hunters's 10th Annual Indoor Fishing Flea Market. The flea market runs until 1 p.m. at Rolling Meadows High School, 2901 W. Central Rd. Rolling Meadows.
I am ashamed to say this will be my first time there.
Below is the outline for my talk. The title, Higher in the Pecking Order, comes from a background conversation this week, when an IDNR staffer said now the IDNR is higher in the pecking order with Governor. No longer is the IDNR the last department, the one that gets the crumbs when the budget is hashed out.
Higher in the pecking order: Issues with the IDNR
1) Issues (in order of importance)
a) funding
b) public land
c) public access
d) staffing
e) deer issues
f) CPOs
g) fish hatcheries
h) ICF
2) Good news
a) Quinn
b) Miller
c) making higher in the pecking order
3) Bad news
a) $9 billion in state shortfall
b) struggles with deer regs, could mean issues with management
c) staff reduction issues
4) Funding options
a) Increased share of GF?
b) Dedicated piece of sales tax, similar to Missouri?
c) Increase in fishing license fees?
d) In hunting license fees?
e) Fish habitat/water stamp instead of a fishing license increase?
f) None of the above?
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