OMED: Michael romps and hoots atop the sports desk of the Tillamook Headlight Herald  In this essay, we see into the haunted part of his brain, where a political species of life has defined its own shape. Truly, in some aspects, Oregon's latter day approach to the people's business sometimes reminds one of The Planet of the Apes.  In response to those who say, "Why can't we just all get along?" Michael replies, "It's because some of the monkeys can't keep their paws off of the other mammal's bananas."  (Photo: Publicity shot of Mike O'Brien during his days in Hollywood.) 

There's a recent television commercial most of us have seen, which involves a tourist losing his credit card in the jungle. It deals with security and protection issues for the cardholder. After posing the question, 'Who's going to find it here anyway?' - the scene shifts to a raucous disco party, featuring bejeweled, champagne-popping monkeys in a hot tub, whooping it up on the man's lost credit card.

   Last May, when the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission traveling road show appeared in Tillamook County, a full house at the Fairgrounds, which included legislators and candidates, made it very clear to the commission that fishermen were willing to pay out of their own pockets to keep our hatcheries open. They would do so by accepting a licensing increase, with the earmarked funds from said increase going directly to Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) to protect jobs, landowner programs and chiefly, our hatcheries.
   This suggestion was not a commission proposal, but rather one from the crowd, the same one heard at every stop the commission made on its "town hall" tour during April and May to various locales.

   Fishermen are the first to admit they have an easily affordable recreation, once one gets past the initial expense of purchasing equipment. For a one-time fee of $19.75, an entire year of Oregon waters is available to a resident license holder. Comparing that to paying daily greens fees (golfers), joining a tennis club ($100 a month minimum), camping (daily user fees), or attending pay sporting events in Oregon (forget about it), a fisherman's season is quite affordable. So, it was made clear fishermen were willing to fund their passion, and their hatcheries, by kicking in with an increased licensing fee.

   What we have here, is a very specific user group, with one common goal, suggesting they pay the freight on keeping hatcheries open, protecting their own universe, through licensing fees. If ever there was a valid case for earmarking funds with no fuss, no muss, this is it. And it's the direction we're wise to travel. More and more of this self-preservation type of funding is certain to be in our near future, both on community and agency levels. It's already happening in our schools.
   So, when anglers and legislators gathered April 24, at the Capitol hearing on HB2260, a bill that designates licensing increases to support OFDW endeavors, the fishermen in attendance to support the bill did not take kindly to the news that Governor Kulongoski had considered suggestions from advisors to raise another $5 million, with an additional licensing increase, and shift the extra money into what is becoming the three most hated words in Oregon - the General Fund.

   Personally, from recent experience, when I hear of money funneling into any kind of "general fund," misappropriated from those who would wish it to be earmarked, for the intent of the group or donor from which it came, I can't help thinking of, well, - monkeys with hot tubs.
   There is little or no way to begin to guess what that money might go toward once it gets a general fund designation. With every known agency, or affiliate, of the State of Oregon seemingly one step from standing on our street corners, with banjos and upturned hats, what moment of clarity will the governor, or Legislature arrive at when it comes time to cash the anglers' check?

   Tillamook Anglers President Jerry Dove, who organized the visual support for the licensing increase, finding a dozen other anglers to circle the Capitol towing fishing boats during the hearings, said, "This cannot happen, by statute. Licensing and tag fees are dedicated to ODFW - and the money will stay there."
   The Oregonian reporter Harry Esteve, who covered the meeting, portrayed the suggestion as a very real threat, although quoting Sen. Ken Messerle of Coos Bay, saying the governor's proposal is merely a "suggestion" and that the committee's main interest is in the original proposal to raise fees which will go directly into fish and game programs. Let's hope so.

   Bill Monroe, in his Sunday Oregonian outdoor column, called the small portion of existing fish and game funding from general fund money a "wicked hook, used by the last two governors to order deep cuts in the department."     
   "The majority of the department's $219 million proposed budget is, in fact, supported by fishing and hunting license tags and matching and dedicated federal funds," Monroe added.
   The best solution here seems to be allowing fishermen to earmark their contributions for the ODFW budget, creating a way for the department to be independent of all state general fund revenue, as suggested by Astoria's Steve Fick at the meeting.

   Clearly, things are at a desperation level in Salem, and money is needed on every front. More and more, the ability of user groups to earmark funds, to sustain their own endeavors, through licensing fees or fund-raising, should be  encouraged as an acceptable alternative for state legislators to consider. 
   Putting hatcheries against schools, social services, and health programs is not the answer. 
   Nor is it fair.

© 2003 Michael O'Brien