This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2006, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Correction: The general season hunting application fee will increase 100 percent from $5 to $10 under a plan approved by the Utah Wildlife Board. The percentage increase was incorrect in a graphic in Thursday's newspaper.
Hunters, anglers, campers and boaters face higher license, day-use and camping fees in 2007 as officials seek funds to cover proposed increases in employee benefits and costs associated with new accounting standards.
Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (DWR) officials are facing a $2 million shortfall, while State Parks and Recreation needs to come up with an extra $1 million. Because both agencies, part of the Department of Natural Resources (DNR), rely largely on fee-generated revenue to operate, the costs will probably be passed on to consumers, among them more than 393,000 licensed anglers last year.
The DWR, with a $47 million annual budget that includes only 8 percent from the state general fund, will request more than 70 increases or new fees today at a Utah Wildlife Board meeting. The cost of a fishing license, for example, would increase by $2 to $28 and the general season buck deer permit would jump from $40 to $45.
The increases, if approved by the Wildlife Board and ultimately the Legislature, would begin in 2007. State Parks officials have yet to make a proposal.
Natural Resources director Michael Styler said it makes him uncomfortable to suggest the increases when the state is operating with budget surplus of about $1 billion.
"I feel embarrassed that we have to raise fishing and hunting license fees when we have a surplus like we do right now," said Styler, who served as the appropriations chair for the DNR as a state legislator before he took his new position a year ago. "Due to the process, we are backed into a corner. This is something I have been preaching about for several years. There is also the possibility that the legislators will recognize the problem and decide to put more general funds into these agencies."
Gov. Jon Huntsman's proposed budget, according to Styler, includes a 2.5 percent cost-of-living increase for state employees, a 2 percent discretionary salary increase and a health insurance rate adjustment. Also contributing to the projected shortfall is a change in accounting standards that requires governments to list future financial liabilities each year.
"This is a great problem to solve if we can because we have got to be able to provide those cost-of-living increases to keep our employees," Styler said, explaining that the DNR frequently loses employees to federal agencies and private companies due to benefits.
A majority of the proposed changes affecting hunters and anglers range from $1 to $15 increases. Bigger increases include a $22 rise in limited-entry deer permits for residents, now $53, and the $100 addition toward a bull moose permit - currently $308.
"We sat down and really looked at areas where we could minimally increase some fees and bring in the $2 million," said Greg Sheehan, administrative service chief for the division.
Because of the short period of time DWR officials had to deal with the shortfall, they said they were unable to take the fee proposal to the public for comment.
Visitors to Utah's 42 state parks also face increases. The department receives 36-38 percent of its approximately $25 million annual budget from state general funds.
"We will have to raise fees or do something with the park positions," said Mary Tullius, director of State Parks and Recreation.
Styler said state parks will make as many administrative changes as possible before deciding any possible increases for visitors.
Once Tullius figures out what the increases will be, she said she would have to call an emergency meeting of the State Parks Board. The Board is not scheduled to meet again until March, well after the 2006 session is over. Legislators would also have final say on any parks fee increases.
Day-use fees at state parks range from $3 to $9, with camping fees running between $9 to $21. An annual state parks pass is $70. In addition to providing camping and picnicking opportunities, the agency manages many of the boat ramps in the state.