I have sent an email to the 3 bill sponsors, Tom,Rockefeller, and Shin.
Just curious on what effects 6813 would have on WDFW? And why you are sponsoring it?
In 1995 the commission of WDFW was formed by referendum 45 by voter approval of 61%. Are you going against the voters of the state of Washington with this change? Or is the commission going to stay intact with the same authority that the voters approved and intended? What is the communication level going to be between user groups and new dept.? The same, better, or worse?
Any info would be appreciated.
Here is a link to the 3 sponsors if you want to send an e-mail to these people. Just click on their names and it will take you to their website.
http://apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/summary.aspx?bill=6813&year=2009I recieved letter from Mr. Rockefellers office yesterday in response from letter above. Since it was sent several weeks ago some of article is dated.
In response to your inquiry, Senator Rockefeller asked that I send along the article below from the Lewiston Tribune. His comments in the story reflect his thinking on this issue:
“Bill would abolish state agencies
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Department of Parks and Recreation would cease to exist under measure set for a hearing Wednesday
Feb. 13
By Eric Barker of the Tribune.
Washington state senators will conduct a hearing Wednesday on a bill that would abolish the Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Department of Parks and Recreation and fold their duties into the Department of Natural Resources.
The bill, sponsored by Rodney Tom, Phil Rockefeller and Paull Shin, all west-side Democrats with districts in or near Seattle, will have its first hearing in the Natural Resources, Ocean and Recreation Committee. Rockefeller said the purpose of the bill is to consolidate duties, reduce redundancies and ultimately save money at a time the state is faced with a $2.6 billion deficit.
"It seems to me, based upon a lot of review and consideration about how to be more efficient in the delivery of natural resource-related programs, consolidation of these three agencies might actually accomplish some significant cost-savings in oversight and administrative support services," Rockefeller said.
According to a fiscal note attached to the bill, consolidating the agencies would reduce labor costs associated with the management of parks by $1 million per year and labor costs associated with management of fish and wildlife by $880,00 per year.
But the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission, which provides oversight to the Department of Fish and Wildlife, is opposed to the bill that would also strip it of its power to hire and fire the director of the department and oversee its budget. The commission issued a policy statement Friday saying Gov. Chris Gregoire considered consolidation prior to releasing her proposed budget but scrapped the idea, because its savings would not be large enough to offset risks to the state's varied natural resources. Commissioners also said the bill would reverse a referendum passed in 1995 giving it hiring and firing power over the director.
"It will remove the commission's ability to demand conservation of fish and wildlife. The commission will no longer be able to provide the public a direct avenue to exert control over the agency that sets important hunting and fishing rules. The commission will no longer have the clout to insulate uniquely important conservation decisions from the politics of the day."
Commissions overseeing the department of parks and department of fish and wildlife would still exist and retain many of their duties if the bill were passed and signed by the governor. But the commissioner of Public Lands would be the chief executive overseeing all three departments. Both commissions would no longer have authority over budgets for their respective departments. Instead they would review and make comments on the portions of the budget related to fish and wildlife and parks
Rockefeller acknowledged some powers and duties would change and said he would not make a final judgment on the bill until after the committee hearings. But he also said, "We are going to have to do a lot of things that change the way we do business as a state to be more efficient."
Sincerely,
Michael F. Hatchett
Legislative Assistant to
State Senator Phil Rockefeller
Washington's 23rd District
360.786.7644