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Fishing Information
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In an effort
to balance the state budget, the Senate Finance Ways and Means Committee
is considering a budget proposal to redirect all real estate transfer tax
funds away from the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) into the
General Fund. Since enactment of the Tennessee Wetlands Acquisition Act of
1986, TWRA has used these funds, derived from a small percentage of each
real estate transaction in Tennessee, to acquire, develop, maintain and
manage wetland habitat in Tennessee. This funding source currently
provides approximately $7 million annually to TWRA; two-thirds of which is
used for wetland acquisition and one-third for the operation, maintenance
and management of previously acquired wetlands. Approximately $235,000
will be provided to the county governments in lieu of taxes from this fund
in 2002. To date, Tennessee has acquired 189,968 acres of wetlands and
associated uplands at a cost $67,654,146. A total of 56,000 acres of
wetlands have been acquired, approximately 80% of the 70,000-acre state
objective for the year 2000. The Finance
Ways and Means Committee of the Tennessee Senate is currently considering
a budget proposal to permanently divert all (100%) of real estate transfer
tax funds away from TWRA and into the General Fund in an effort to
alleviate funding shortfalls elsewhere in the state budget. If enacted, TWRA’s ability to acquire, maintain and manage wetland habitat in the state will effectively be eliminated, thereby limiting their ability to achieve the goals and objectives identified by the Governor’s Interagency Wetlands Committee in the “Tennessee Wetlands Conservation Strategy.” In the event
that TWRA’s transfer tax funding is cut-off, the sportsmen and citizens of
Tennessee will feel the impact of reductions in funding in any one or all
of the following ways: During the
past five years, TWRA has leveraged these funds many times over by
partnering with other state, local and federal governments and several
private organizations. The elimination of the real estate transfer tax as
a source of funding for TWRA will seriously jeopardize the agency’s
ability to meet current and any future funding obligations. If existing
obligations are not met, the agency’s credibility as a responsible
conservation partner will be damaged and some partners will suffer
financial losses. It is
anticipated that members of the Senate Finance Ways and Means Committee
will, in the near future, act to reduce or totally eliminate TWRA’s source
of funds derived from the Real Estate Transfer Tax. It is critical that
members of this committee hear from the conservation community, especially
Ducks Unlimited members, expressing their concern for elimination of this
funding source. Please take immediate action and contact the members of
the Senate Finance Ways and Means Committee (listed below) and urge them
to not take any action that would totally eliminate the funding derived by
TWRA for wetlands acquisition, operation and maintenance. Given the
urgency of this issue, personal phone calls to the Senators or their key
staff to outline your opposition to this proposed action will be the most
effective. Alternatively, write a letter and fax or e-mail it to them
within the next week. One-on-one meetings are also appropriate; however,
time is of the essence. Key members of the committee are indicated with an
asterisk (*).
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