Pennsylvania Federation of Sportsmen's Clubs

2426 North Second St. ● Harrisburg, PA 17110 ● www.pfsc.org

Phone: 717-232-3480 ● Fax: 717-232-3480

info@pfsc.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

11-19-2003

CONTACT:

Renae Kluk

717-232-3480

At What Cost?

HARRISBURG: Representatives from the Pennsylvania Federation of Sportsmen’s Clubs (PFSC), one of the oldest and the largest sportsmen’s organization in the state, attended this morning’s Legislative Budget and Finance Committee meeting where the report on the benefits of a merger between the Pennsylvania Game Commission and the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission was released.

“Obviously, we are still digesting the report, (over 300 pages; 2 volumes). But after hearing some of the testimony and comments made today, to say we are disturbed and seriously offended would be a mild statement,” said Melody Zullinger, executive director of the Pennsylvania Federation of Sportsmen's Clubs. “Not just because we are opposed to a merger of these two independent agencies, but because we feel Representative Levdansky’s comments were offensive to all of the sportsmen’s groups and others who took the time to attend and comment at the public hearings on House Resolution 15 that were held prior to today.”

Over the past six months, representatives from the PFSC attended every public hearing across the state on House Resolution 15, but waited until the final hearing on October 6, 2003 to present testimony.

“For him to say that any individual or group who made statements or took a position before the report was published should be totally disregarded, is insulting at best. PFSC asked for the hearings to take place after that release, so we could take the results into account, and then make comments. Our request was denied. But to say that we need to read the report before we made up our minds is ludicrous. We do not need to see a budget analysis to know that we, the constituents of these two independent agencies, like it that way, and want to keep it that way,” said Zullinger.

At the PFSC’s last state convention, (held in Scranton in September 2003), delegates representing counties across the state voted unanimously to oppose any merger of the Pennsylvania Game Commission with the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission. In the past, and again today, PFSC leaders told the members of the House Game & Fisheries Committee that they would have to prove to the sportsmen & women that a merger would substantially benefit the resource and the hunters, trappers and anglers, before they would even consider the idea.

“The sportsmen and women of Pennsylvania already told the House Game and Fisheries Committee with a unanimous voice, that we support two independent agencies, and we are willing to fund the continuation of these two independent agencies,” said Lowell Graybill, president of the Pennsylvania Federation of Sportsmen's Clubs.

“At first glance, it appears the cost of this merger will be the educational/public awareness services each agency provides. According to the report, after a merger, Wildlife Conservation Officers (WCO’s) would spend most of their time on law enforcement, and 36 of those positions would be eliminated. Hunter/trapper education, stocking fish, youth hunts, field days, presentations at sports clubs and schools, and exhibits would be eliminated as WCO job duties under the proposed merger model,” said Zullinger. “Yet the report fails to identify how or if those things would be continued other than to say they would hire 12 resource technicians.”

“Ultimately, we believe this document does not show any substantial benefits to the resource or the hunters, trappers and anglers of Pennsylvania,” said Zullinger. “Even if the reality were a savings of five million dollars, we must ask: At what cost?”

At this morning’s committee meeting, the question was asked several times by different Legislators, and each time the answer from the staff of the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee remained the same, “The report does not recommend a merger. It just presents a model of what a merger would look like. A merger would not solve either of the agencies funding problems. Regardless of a merger or not, there would still be funding problems.”

“The only good points I see in this report is where they note that both agencies are facing severe budget constraints, and whether or not a merger occurs, new revenue sources will be needed; and where they provide a report on non-license revenue sources currently in use in other states,” said Zullinger.

The Pennsylvania Federation of Sportsmen's Clubs, Inc. is one of the oldest sportsmen’s organizations in the commonwealth and is the largest, with over 66,000 members. Its mission is to provide a statewide, united voice for the concerns of all sportsmen and conservationists; to ensure their rights and interests are protected, and to protect and enhance the environment and our natural resources. For more information on the PFSC check out our web site: http://www.pfsc.org

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