I would like to see the Ohio Wildlife Legacy Stamp be more widely available.

Penny O'Connor
Cleveland OH
-----Original Message-----
>From: Russowl <[log in to unmask]>
>Sent: Dec 13, 2010 12:24 PM
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: [Ohio-birds] Whither conservation dollars for birds?
>
>I noticed you didn't mention the new Ohio Wildlife Legacy Stamp . Russell
>Lima, Ohio
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Bill Whan" <[log in to unmask]>
>To: <[log in to unmask]>
>Sent: Monday, December 13, 2010 12:19 PM
>Subject: [Ohio-birds] Whither conservation dollars for birds?
>
>
>> It's no big news to readers of this list, but today's New York Times
>> (pg. D7) runs an article from the AP, "As Hunting Declines, Conservation
>> Efforts Suffer." It makes the point that fading interest in hunting is
>> resulting in fewer dollars going to conservation efforts. It also
>> laments the loss of income for the sporting industry. The article is
>> about Wisconsin's situation, but applies just as much here.
>>        Regrettably, the article assumes only one thing can reverse this
>> loss
>> of conservation dollars: reviving hunting, thus selling more hunting
>> licenses, duck stamps, ammunition, traps, etc. This is nonsense, of
>> course. There are plenty of other ways to direct more dollars to
>> conservation---donations to private organizations, levies for state and
>> local park systems, etc., and taxes. Red states like Missouri and
>> Arkansas for years have levied state sales taxes dedicated to the
>> acquisition and care of wild lands for wildlife, including but not
>> limited to species legal to hunt. The Missouri sales tax, first of all
>> its kind, and regularly renewed by a good majority of voters, is the
>> envy of other states, as are their conservation programs and
>> publications. Minnesota voters passed a similar law in 2008, and in the
>> last election Iowa voters easily passed a law to make 3/8 of 1% of the
>> next tax increase to go to conservation projects. Thus, Iowa residents
>> who spend $50,000 a year for taxable goods and services will pay about
>> $180 for conservation. Multiply that by millions of people and there's
>> some serious money for the outdoors. This is the modern efficient way to
>> accomplish these aims, not burdening (or serving) only hunters and
>> trappers, or asking birders to pretend to be hunters by buying a duck
>> stamp. If you want significant public money to go to birds other than
>> game species or raptors, this is the way to go.
>> Wear the orange,
>> Bill Whan
>> Columbus
>>
>>
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>>
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>
>______________________________________________________________________
>
>Ohio-birds mailing list, a service of the Ohio Ornithological Society.
>Our thanks to Miami University for hosting this mailing list.
>Additional discussions can be found in our forums, at www.ohiobirds.org/forum/.
>
>You can join or leave the list, or change your options, at:
>http://listserv.muohio.edu/scripts/wa.exe?LIST=OHIO-BIRDS
>Send questions or comments about the list to: [log in to unmask]

______________________________________________________________________

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