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 Home > News and alerts > You are here: Ohio sportsmen rally against diversion of wildlife dollars Ohio sportsmen rally against diversion of wildlife dollars (5/23/2003) Ohio sportsmen converged on the state capitol this week to oppose the use of hunting and fishing license dollars to fund a multi-agency law enforcement communications system. House Bill 95, the Ohio budget bill, would divert $1.2 million from the Ohio wildlife fund to help pay for the Multi-Agency Radio Communication System (MARCS). When MARCS was introduced, sportsmen were promised that funds for the system would come from general taxation because the system would be utilized by all of the state's law enforcement agencies. Ohio Governor Robert Taft's budget, which the House approved on April 9 by a vote of 53 to 46, would tap sportsmen's dollars, dedicated by law exclusively for wildlife conservation, to help pay for the system. To sportsmen, this amounts to double taxation. "Like all other citizens, we pay our taxes to fund safety services such as law enforcement," explained Tony Celebrezze, director of field services for the U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance. "These costs should be borne by all taxpayers without targeting hunters, trappers and anglers." Take Action! Ohio sportsmen should contact the members of the Senate Finance and Financial Institutions Committee and the President of the Senate, Doug White. Ask them to oppose any attempt to divert wildlife funds and remove the $1.2 million diversion earmarked for the MARCS radio system. To find your legislator and to leave a message, call (800) 282-0253. Contact Senator White at (614) 466-8082. The members of the committee are: Ohio Senate Finance and Financial Institutions Committee Chairman- Bill Harris (R-Ashland) (614) 466-8086 Vice-Chairman- John Carey (R-Pickaway) (614) 466-8156 Ranking Minority Member- Eric Fingerhut (D-Cleveland) (614) 466-4583 Other Members- Ron Amstutz
(R-Wooster)
(614) 466-7505 CopyrightÓ U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance- www.ussportsmen.org
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