Illinois and California are headed for some out-of-the-box thinking, as both states wrestle with a shortfall representing nearly one quarter of their annual budget.
As we’ve seen before, both Parks and Recreation and Fish & Game never make the list of sacred cows and are forced to suffer the death of a thousand paper cuts. “Make do with less” will be the standard refrain from the Governor’s Office, as raising taxes is deplorable to both parties, as is mixing sanity in with frugality.
Instead, I’d suggest these agencies follow the Russian model of conservation, where anything is possible so long as the kickback is commensurate with the tonnage …
In connection with cash payments made by four Japanese fisheries to Russian border guards to fish walleye pollack in Russia’s exclusive economic zone, executives of other fisheries have told The Yomiuri Shimbun they also have given cash to Russians to fish saury, salmon and trout in Russian waters.
-via Daily Yomiuri Online
After a decade of less cash and even fewer wardens, I propose we allow Fish & Game to sell favors to vacationers and us sporting types so they can generate revenue stream free of the Governor’s grabby mitts.
When the warden pounces on your eight year old from out of the bushes and reads him his rights, you can either have the kid hauled away to hard labor, or make bond by wadding a couple twenties in the warden’s breast pocket. For an extra twenty you can do this just to make sport of the kid, considering he hasn’t listened to you in a fortnight.
Now wardens can craft and recraft the rules as needed to generate additional cash. They can do so with funds earmarked for each watershed, just changes the regulations midseason and watch the coffers swell with donations. Nothing like being all smug knowing it’s single and barbless, and the warden reminding you as of this year it needs to be eyeless as well.
Just to add a little incentive we’ll cut the warden in for 20% of his net take, and funnel the proceeds from the reality show back to the department as well.
They take Mastercard, midstream even.
We’re on a roll here in Illinois…over two years now without arresting a governor.
I’m sure Michigan would be willing to cough up some dough to keep Asian carp from Lake Michigan. Let me get on the horn to the capital and see what I can do.
We need only negotiate the territories of the Fish & Game Mob Vs the Parks and Recreation Syndicate. Our home-grown mobsters were once the envy of the world. Detroit can put running boards back on Dodges and B of A can offer money-clips for new accounts. Maybe concerned members of the “public” (read Trout Underground)can begin smuggling fingerlings down from Canada?