HotRod Raids DNR Funds

[legion]

This from a hunting forum I've been browsing:

For the rest of you....here is an example of what the governor has done to your DNR:
The Pittman-Robertson Act imposes a tax on hunting equipment that you never even see. This money is collected by the Federal government and dispersed to the states based on the number of license sales, etc. This money is earmarked for wildlife habitat and associated costs of managing it. However, it also can be used for day-to-day operations by the state natural resource agencies. Now the IL DNR has been getting their budget cut for a long time but this money couldn't be touched. Well ol' Rod couldnt stand not being able to raid it, so he figured out a way. See the DNR used to own just about all of their buildings. In other words it cost them nothing to keep their office space, etc. Well Rod decided to transfer all of the DNR's buildings to ownership by an agency called Central Management Services (CMS). So the DNR no longer owns their buildings and now has to actually PAY RENT on them. The DNR Region 5 office in Benton costs the DNR $40,000/yr now when it used to cost them nothing. Imagine what this has done to the DNR statewide. Where do you think that money comes from? That's right....YOUR federal wildlife funds that are supposed to be for managing and purchasing wildlife habitat and public use opportunities.

So this CMS the Governor of our great state has been touting as a great innovation is really a way to redirect federal funds from their intended (and legally mandatory) use.

[Jeff Higgins]

You sound surprised.