by Al Ristori/For The Star-Ledger
Thursday April 09, 2009, 8:58 PM
New York fishermen had set up a committee to perfect a reasonable saltwater license that would also satisfy the federal registration requirement.
Gov. Paterson ignored their recommendations in his original budget proposal, and wanted the saltwater funds placed in the Wildlife Management Fund where the new funding could be used for unrelated fresh water and forest purposes. The Legislature restored the essential portions, and included a Marine Resources Account within the Wildlife Conservation Fund.
Yet, Golofaro was informed that the governor has already declared the saltwater funds coming in next year will be used to pay for presently unfounded positions in the Department of Environmental Conservation rather than for the launching ramps, piers, etc., that license advocates were expecting.
That's fair warning to New Jersey anglers if a saltwater license is proposed here. Gov. Jon Corzine has made it clear that he won't observe legislative dedication of a tax in the present battle over arts funding. Only a constitutional amendment would safeguard license monies from politicians. Check my daily blog at nj.com/shore/blogs/fishing for updates on this as well as the fishing outlook.
http://www.nj.com/shore/blogs/fishin...next_year.html