Potential WDFW Budget Cuts

[bennysbuddy]

defunding law enforcement is the answer to many problems today, Hopefully they will legalize all drugs so that problem goes away

 

[Charles Sullivan]

This makes total sence. Reminds me how school, police and Fire depots are always cut.

But last say for the sake of conversation we as sportsmen would perfer cuts to wolf restoration along with middle and upper management.

How do you go about getting cuts there

I cant remember when I've ever seen cuts to Police or Fire services. Honestly, I can't. They dont furlough. They don't lay off. Occasionally, they dont get new shiney things.

Go Sox,
cds

 

[DimeBrite]

I'm almost ready to leave WA for Montana. I better check up on the MT road construction thread.

 

[PT]

State government has been living way beyond our means for a couple decades with next to nothing positive to show. A hole in the budget is just a convenient excuse for failing at their responsibilities and limiting opportunity even more.

 

[Nooksack Mac]

In light of the above, here's my new long-range plan: I will lock myself indoors, getting all food and incidentals delivered to me. I will social-distance like the FBI's Most Wanted. Others will die steadily from Covid-19, 20...27. During the next few years, there will be zero hatchery steelhead produced to dilute the gene pool in Washington streams. So in a few years, all the returning steelhead will be native stock. So one day about this time in 2025, if I survive, I'll materialize at my favorite drift on the North Stilly, wearing a camo-pattern biohazard suit, casting classic summer steelhead patterns to the waiting fish. I can be certain that no WDFW enforcement agents will disturb me, and the bright summer natives that I will catch and gently release.

 

[Brian Miller]

It's the top to middle layers of management who have to recommend the cuts to be made. It's rather natural that they're not going to recommend cutting themselves. That's why the cuts always are staff earning half as much and working just as hard. Oh, and enforcement. Enforcement always gets cut. They must not be as well represented in top management.

Program cuts are usually made where it will provoke the loudest pushback to the Legislature. So the things that are most popular with the public are the first to be cut. These are the natural and logical rules of bureaucracy.

This

I cant remember when I've ever seen cuts to Police or Fire services. Honestly, I can't. They dont furlough. They don't lay off. Occasionally, they dont get new shiney things.
Go Sox,
cds

Every (other?) year the voters have to fund a fire district levy to make up for that shortfall. And county-city administration never makes the job so unpalatable that LEOs retire or move to jurisdictions where they are appreciated so the positions left unfilled aren't reported as "cuts"?

 

[Rocking Chair Fan]

There will be no WDFW enforcement agents in 2025. All will be laid off or retired...

 

[BriGuy]

State government has been living way beyond our means for a couple decades with next to nothing positive to show. A hole in the budget is just a convenient excuse for failing at their responsibilities and limiting opportunity even more.

Coronavirus caused this hole. Things were going well beforehand.

It's amazing to me that the ones who squeal the loudest about government waste also squeal the loudest when they dont get what they want from the government.

Yes, there's dysfunction, just like big corporations also have, but this hole was not caused by that.

 

[Rob Allen]

There is an 8-9 Billion dollar state budget shortfall over the next three years. That is massive and cuts are already being made. And, yes, some to staffing. Furloughs are in place for most employees and a few lucky ones like me wont be seeing any raises for a long time. I am thankful I still have a job. Others are not so lucky.

These budget cuts usually start with employees. Next comes cuts to services. Brace yourself, because it is going to get real ugly. And if you think there won't be tax and fee increases, you should go play with the unicorns in fairyland.

So, be prepared to pay more, wait longer, or do without state services. It's unrealistic to think we'll get out of this hole without both cuts and revenue increases.

Read my lips, "Much new taxes and fees this time."

Any rate hike for hunters and fishers who are already overpaying. Is immoral. Services to hunters and fishers should be the LAST things cut

Yes WDFW should be expected to do more with less. Just like in the private sector...

 

[BriGuy]

Any rate hike for hunters and fishers who are already overpaying. Is immoral. Services to hunters and fishers should be the LAST things cut

Yes WDFW should be expected to do more with less. Just like in the private sector...

That's about the biggest myth there is. The truth is that you generally do less with less. The private sector cuts back or goes out of business. Government, for the most part, cannot go out of business.

 

[quilbilly]

Hey

No out of state input is needed here, local control and all.
Surely you, of all people will understand

Stick to Colorado issues.

 

[b_illymac]

Coronavirus caused this hole. Things were going well beforehand.

It's amazing to me that the ones who squeal the loudest about government waste also squeal the loudest when they dont get what they want from the government.

Yes, there's dysfunction, just like big corporations also have, but this hole was not caused by that.

Thing's were going well? When it comes to hunting and fishing we are the laughing stock of the west. At this point I think even California has a better running department.

 

[Rob Allen]

It's the top to middle layers of management who have to recommend the cuts to be made. It's rather natural that they're not going to recommend cutting themselves. That's why the cuts always are staff earning half as much and working just as hard. Oh, and enforcement. Enforcement always gets cut. They must not be as well represented in top management.

Program cuts are usually made where it will provoke the loudest pushback to the Legislature. So the things that are most popular with the public are the first to be cut. These are the natural and logical rules of bureaucracy.

Another statement that describes that..

Lack of leadership.

 

[tallguy]

This makes total sence. Reminds me how school, police and Fire depots are always cut.

But last say for the sake of conversation we as sportsmen would perfer cuts to wolf restoration along with middle and upper management.

How do you go about getting cuts there

Wolves are restoring themselves just fine, as they should. It's wolf "anti-restoration" which costs all the money. As a sportsman in favor of healthy complete ecosystems, I thus also am in favor of such cuts.

 

[BriGuy]

Thing's were going well? When it comes to hunting and fishing we are the laughing stock of the west. At this point I think even California has a better running department.

I meant "well" solely from a budget perspective. There are some things the state does well and some things they suck at. I'll leave the determination to all y'all.