state + local

Legislators sure don’t mind giving millions to rich people to build a stadium that most of us will never even use but when it comes to protecting our Natural Resources (which almost all of us use) they balk. What is wrong with you people?

I agree with Moadmin. Yes, I go fishing and I pay for my license. But I have never gone to a Viking game in decades. And why? Because most of us just do not have the money. And as to raising the fees or taxes, however you want to call it, that will hurt. And especially when there are fewer and fewer hunters and fisherman. Fewer kids are introduced to the sports. And most of them spend all of their time playing computer games. Sad but true. Raise some more sums of money from the rich. And they could also pay for a new toy club for the Vikings. I do go to a Twins game once per year or so, and that I can afford. But I am on a pension and millions of Baby Boomers are in the same muck as I am. Do not look to the sliding middle class for more money. We are fresh out of it. That is my view.

Al Linder represents the interest of guides and resort owners. It is easy for them to ask for fee increases so that they can continue to make a living off of the state resource. It would be like asking a Vikings player for his opinion about building a new stadium. Indivual anglers interest are seldom represented especially when the law makers look to people like fishing guides who continually bombard the resource fishing 100 plus days a year. Why not ask the average fisherman who puts in 40+ hours a week working to pay taxes and tries to try to save some money to take their kid fishing. The sport is becoming more and more elite and as long as the fishing elites are guiding the process it will continue to do so.

I was waiting for the time when either the sportsman or artsy folks were going to need more money for something. Just like when the road conditions were unbearable and we needed to all pony up to get them fixed. These people all hope that time blurrs our colective memory and we forget about the Legacy Amendment and the gas tax that we all voted in to fix our bridges and potholes. Gvmt is a tax dollar eating machine that I have no faith in it's ability of knowing when it's full.

Lindners the big money!Easy for him to say"lets pay more".

Why are we increasing fees? I thought the Lottery was suppose to provide additional revenue to the DNR? The latest Mega Millions Lottery brought in an extra $5.2M to the state/DNR. Are the profits not going where they need to?

Unlike other endeavors, the majority of sportsmen really are willing to pull out their billfolds to make a difference.

wallwall - The problem is that the legacy fund was supposed to be 'extra' money to make our stuff even better. That didn't happen. The politicians reduced the amount of money coming from the general fund and used the legacy money to make up the difference. So we still end up with the status quo. Look up the audit from Jim Nobles. The legislature says they have no obligation to keep the general fund commitments the same when legacy money could be used instead.

Al Linder made his $$millions exploiting and marketing the outdoors. How about listening to a few ordinary sportmen rather than guides, boat/tackle marketers and resort owners for a change?

The "Legacy Fund" sales tax was supposed to fund an "Outdoor Heritage Fund" that was supposed to cover these things. Where's that dough going?