Jim:

Good idea and a great opportunity here! Some background first:

For a long time now (decade or more?) it seems WDFW has been forced to operate with less and less money each year via the legislature. Granted, the department is far from perfect but what most of us overlook is the vast majority of it's personnel(field biologists, technicians, enforcement, etc...)
are dedicated proffessionals who want to give us the best but can't because of "lack of funding" or "budget constraints".

This seems to be a yearly theme and it's geting old. Not only can't the personnel do their jobs but our meaningfull opportunities seem to be getting a tighter noose too.

I could be wrong but I thought I read somewhere that WDFW is the state's largest agency......an agency that's being punished yearly for trying to do a next to impossible job.

In this era of a booming population, looming endangered species restrictions and everything else, it seems to me that for our fish and wildlife resources to have a future, the department must be adequately funded so they can do their jobs and conduct appropriate research so future decisions can be based and backed by good science. I'm not convinced this is happening now.

My questions are 1) Do they percieve a budget shortfall in the department? and if so 2) what are their views regarding long-term stable funding for the daprtment?

Lengthy post but necessary. Thanks!