spook12
New member
There was a way: In the early 2000's, IIRC, the Teaming with Wildlife Coalition tried to get an excise tax on outdoor gear not already under PR/DJ/WB. Retailers like REI killed it. The reason it had to be at the federal level versus state was due to interstate commerce issues, again, if I remember correctly.
On the state level, I think AR (Under Mike Huckabee no less), MO & a few other states show us a model that works: A percentage of the sales tax.
States like Montana that don't have a sales tax will need a different solution.
Personally I prefer state based solutions over trying to get Congress to do anything other than screw it up.
At any rate, hunters & anglers need to develop partnerships with the tourism & environmental industries to help get anything done. That means even having non-consumptive users appointed to state game commissions. Most state commissions already have special interests on them, such as livestock producer, farmers, hunters, anglers, etc. If we're going to require they pay, then they should have a seat at the table.
In Ark. 1/8 cent sales tax goes directly to the Game and Fish. They are busting at the seams with money. The smallest state west of the Mississippi, and we have 150 game Wardens, 2 per County.
Non-consumptive users should be picking up some of the tab,it's their Wildlife too. In many ways they already have a big voice in wildlife management,Trapping laws, non-lead laws,spring vs fall hunts,there are hundreds of laws on the books that where put there by''The people'' that are in no way based on doing whats right Biologically.