Fishing and Politics

With the Governers Election Soon, I often wonder if the Seats on the Parks and Wildlife Comission are up for sale to the higest contributor...
seems to me that in the past and the present ,, the appointments to the seats in Austin on the Comission are not your regular Hunting and Fishing type citizens...
but rather the most Wealthy of Texans that have contributed to the election of the respective Governer,, now I'm not knocking their sucess or their wealth but rather wondering do these comissioners do a good job relating to all the people affected by their decisions ... could you do a Better job ? have their policy decisions served you well in the past ? Do you feel you as a Texas Fisherman you have a voice ? or decent representation ?( Politics )
with that said do you think it would be helpful to have Texans on the Comission that really participate in all that they govern ?
would your vote be swayed if you were told that some regular folks would have seats on the commission ? (define Regular)
or am I totally off base asking these questions and does any of this matter to you ?
all food for thought !
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The Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission consists of nine members appointed by the governor with the advice and consent of the senate. Commission members serve staggered terms of six years, with the terms of three members expiring every two years. The terms expire on January 31 of odd-numbered years, and commission members hold office until successors are appointed and qualified.

The governor shall designate a member of the commission as the presiding officer of the commission to serve in that capacity at the pleasure of the governor. The commission elects a vice-chairman from among its members to serve a two-year term. Vacancies on the commission are filled by the governor, and vacancies in the office of chairman and vice-chairman are filled in the same manner as the original appointment or election.

The commission may meet as often as necessary, but at least on a quarterly basis. Five members constitute a quorum.

Commission members serve without pay, but are entitled to per diem and to reimbursement for actual expenses incurred in attending meetings.

The commission's chief responsibility is the adoption of policies and rules to carry out all programs of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. The commission approves the biennial budget and appropriation requests for submission to the legislature sets departmental policy, and appoints an executive director charged with the implementation of that policy and operation of the department on a daily basis.
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Current List of Commissioners Link
http://beta-www.tpwd.state.tx.us/business/about/commission/commissioners/index

Good questions,haven't thought about it.They should be people that actually fish,hunt,ect.

Very simple takes about 400K to be appointed by the governor to TPWD board but an additional 100K to be head of the department.
Whats a half a mil among friends.

It seems to me that TP&WL has done an exceptionally poor job in the last 15 years, which corresponds to the Bush/Perry regime. I think that corresponds roughly to the time that the fishing license money has been diverted to the general fund. I doubt that that is a coincidence. I have found that I always have more money in my pocket during Democratic Party rule.

That's because Democrats take money from Republicans and put it in their pockets.

As I recall, Ann Richards, a Democrat, while in office took the funding generated from hunting and fishing license and took it away from the Parks and Wildlife Dept. and started putting it into a general fund. Before that time I always bought a combo license, now I just get what I need. In my mind that would explain why their services declined. A fact thats hard for me to overlook.

I could not recall for certain who took the funds from the fishing licences. I thought it was Bush. Ann Richards was a maverick that I doubt either party would claim. She used to hang around Weatherford. I agree that the time when the fishing license revenue went away marks the start of the decline of TP&W.

If enough people made a point of letting their representatives and senators know that they want license money to stay with TPWD, write some letters to editors, and try to get the general public involved on the issue, then things have a good chance of changing.

Good point. Too often we just accept everything the Government does and believe there is nothing that can be done to change it. While definitely an uphill battle we can make a difference. There are a lot of folks in Texas that hunt and fish who would prefer their license fees stay with the TPWD. We could make a difference.

GMB

+1
And I hate to admit that I'm part of the problem, waiting for someone else to do something.

From tax payers. Big government will never work. Its time to down size.

Down size gov't......yes
term limits......yes
make Congressmen adhere to legislation they pass......yes
Throw out their private health care and require they use Gov't
passed health care.......yes
The list could go on forever, but that would get too political

We need gov't of the people, for the people and by the people.

Well said.Totally agree. Plus #1.

Need to get reed of all the Health care bill. NOt just the private. I dont anyone involved in my health excecpt me, my family and my Doctor. The rest of them can catch a flight.

Well could anybody tell me ONE JUST ONE thing government controlled that isn't TOTALY SCREWED UP AND COURPT. Enough money can get ya what ever ya want in government period

OK. The gov't hadn't screwed up..................?????????????????????????????

Sorry. Don't have an answer.

The government has not screwed up screwing up. It has proven to be an entity feeding upon itself and to survive it will continue to consume all available resources until we cut off the lifeline. In a local community near Frisco where I live a high school sports stadium is being finished with a cost of $45 Million $. What in the world are we thinking? I love sports but this is an example of tax and spend at its finest. Political correctness runs amuck to the point that you can't say it unless you have an extreme and protected position. I am sick of it and would like to take Juan Williams fishing. I am voting my [censored] off and influencing everyone I know to do the same. Let's get back to family, friends, faith and trust... and of course fishing

Well said Kevin
+1 here !
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Wouldn't a revolution kick start the end to all?

.................. ..................Can't think of one thing.

Whiskey Bob, your fish looks a little like Angelena Jolie