DeFronzo to fight hunting, fishing licence fee increases
Wednesday, December 9, 2009 10:31 PM EST
By SCOTT WHIPPLE
Staff writer
HARTFORD — Democratic state Sen. Donald DeFronzo with support of the New Britain Legislative Delegation, said Tuesday he will propose a plan to roll back recent fishing and hunting license fee increases.
The fees were implemented by the state Department of Environmental Protection Oct. 1. DeFronzo said that DEP has recently doubled license fees from $20 to $40 for fishing licenses and from $14 to $28 for hunting licenses after the legislature voted to approve the increases.
“While these fee increases are intended to help close the state’s budget deficit,” DeFronzo said, “the fee increases are too steep and fall too heavily on low, moderate and fixed-income people who enjoy fishing and hunting. We can find other sources of revenue to cover the costs.”
Three of New Britain’s Democratic state representatives will co-sponsor the proposal.
“Reducing these fees will allow tens of thousands of Connecticut residents to enjoy the state’s natural resources,” said state Rep. Tim O’Brien.
“Doubling fees on basic recreational services like fishing and hunting is just not fair to Connecticut middle income families,” state Rep. Peter Tercyak said. “We can do better, and I hope the legislature will adopt Don’s plan.”
State Rep. Betty Boukus of New Britain and Plainville said she “supports the plan to roll back fees and hopes it can become effective before the start of the New Year, well in advance of the spring fishing season.”
Though DeFronzo estimates DEP fee increases will generate about $4.3 million dollars in new revenue, he said he will propose adjustments to certain fines related to motor-vehicle infractions in order to raise the same amount of revenue. He pointed out that these fines haven’t been adjusted since 1985 and will compensate for the revenue loss that would result after DEP fishing and hunting fee increases are rolled back.
One official, who asked not to be identified, told the Herald it was ironic Democratic leaders who “met behind closed doors to raise fees as part of their budget vote, are now publicly objecting to the rate hikes.”
DeFronzo, stressed that many lawmakers disliked the idea of an increase. They warned that hunters facing stiff licensing fees will likely leave their weapons in gun racks while the state’s deer population explodes. However, he said the new state budget almost necessitated it.
“Those [legislators] who voted for the increase have been looking for other ways to make up the revenue since then,” he said. “After studying various options this is the one we came up with.”
Wednesday, December 9, 2009 10:31 PM EST
By SCOTT WHIPPLE
Staff writer
HARTFORD — Democratic state Sen. Donald DeFronzo with support of the New Britain Legislative Delegation, said Tuesday he will propose a plan to roll back recent fishing and hunting license fee increases.
The fees were implemented by the state Department of Environmental Protection Oct. 1. DeFronzo said that DEP has recently doubled license fees from $20 to $40 for fishing licenses and from $14 to $28 for hunting licenses after the legislature voted to approve the increases.
“While these fee increases are intended to help close the state’s budget deficit,” DeFronzo said, “the fee increases are too steep and fall too heavily on low, moderate and fixed-income people who enjoy fishing and hunting. We can find other sources of revenue to cover the costs.”
Three of New Britain’s Democratic state representatives will co-sponsor the proposal.
“Reducing these fees will allow tens of thousands of Connecticut residents to enjoy the state’s natural resources,” said state Rep. Tim O’Brien.
“Doubling fees on basic recreational services like fishing and hunting is just not fair to Connecticut middle income families,” state Rep. Peter Tercyak said. “We can do better, and I hope the legislature will adopt Don’s plan.”
State Rep. Betty Boukus of New Britain and Plainville said she “supports the plan to roll back fees and hopes it can become effective before the start of the New Year, well in advance of the spring fishing season.”
Though DeFronzo estimates DEP fee increases will generate about $4.3 million dollars in new revenue, he said he will propose adjustments to certain fines related to motor-vehicle infractions in order to raise the same amount of revenue. He pointed out that these fines haven’t been adjusted since 1985 and will compensate for the revenue loss that would result after DEP fishing and hunting fee increases are rolled back.
One official, who asked not to be identified, told the Herald it was ironic Democratic leaders who “met behind closed doors to raise fees as part of their budget vote, are now publicly objecting to the rate hikes.”
DeFronzo, stressed that many lawmakers disliked the idea of an increase. They warned that hunters facing stiff licensing fees will likely leave their weapons in gun racks while the state’s deer population explodes. However, he said the new state budget almost necessitated it.
“Those [legislators] who voted for the increase have been looking for other ways to make up the revenue since then,” he said. “After studying various options this is the one we came up with.”
Keep up the good work boys. 