TPWD cutting nearly 10% staff and loosing $160-$165 million

[Muddskipper]

Due to the Texas Budget crisis, TPWD is taking a hit.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/...s/7410462.html

Highlights/ lowlights of the article are

"The state Legislature will be paring down budgets of all state agencies, including the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Initial budget bills from the Texas House and Senate would cut TPWD's biennial budget by about 25 percent, or $160-$165 million, from 2010-11 levels."

"Such cuts would necessitate eliminating about 300 of the agency's 3,100 full-time positions for the 2012 fiscal year that begins Sept. 1."

" eliminate all funding to TPWD for "new capital equipment," meaning no purchases of vehicles, boats, computers, telecommunications gear or other equipment for the coming two years."

They are barley making it with what they have now

"Most of the proposed cuts ($1 million) to coastal fisheries budget will be to the commercial license buyback program."

FYI - when we see laws being broken, help TPWD by calling the poaching hotline on the back of your license.
- Game Wardens cannot be everywhere, so it is up to the angler to help protect the resource.
- education is key for the next generation of anglers, take them out to the Sea Center in Lake Jackson, help them understand how fragile th resource is and how it is up to us to help manage it

[reeltime]

Not a surprise at all!Don't be surpised if fee's and such go up in the near future.

[sfef84]

That is sad to hear.

FWE member Charlie and I spoke to some wardens a couple months ago at the end of the seawall. We told them about all the illegal fish being taken (Bull Reds, Rat Reds, mullet over 12in etc) and the Warden told us that its hard to catch them "in the act" because they have family members drive around the area and call their amigos when the TPWD truck is driving around.

We should have a fund to buy these guys some undercover trucks/cars that "fit in" and wont draw attention. Shouldn't be too expensive, any old van, el camino, cheby with murals depicting their own car driving around green hills painted on the tailgates should work just fine.

All kidding aside, you would think they could set up a checkpoint after ferry road to check for licenses, bag limits, illegal nets, Poaching, current car inspection sticker/registration.... I mean, theres only one point of ingress/egress and is a natural choke point for intradiction. A DUI checkpoint for TPWD.

Could be a huge source of revenue. As an added bonus, more breeding flounder and redfish will live to breed another year--> better fish stock, etc etc.

All that is needed:

2 Game Wardens
road barriers
some volunteers for support

Better use of resources than have two man teams waste gas driving around the island playing cat and mouse. With increased pressure, The Poachers have two options, buy a license or fish somewhere else, and seeing that the end of the seawall/ south jetty beach is (I would guess) THE biggest poaching spot on the island, the illegal actions could be drastically curtailed.

[WestEndAngler]

I have sat at SLP and reported 10 people before, photos & videos go a long way

[Jhua]

Those game wardens really love their jobs. I reported a guy for taking undersized reds. When the warden got there he tried everything to revive them. You could see it in his eyes that he was upset about those small reds being killed.

[Dzaster De]

yes sir we all need to step up my friends i will not be a part of unethital acts or the peps that will do them .!! it make me sick !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! it out the kill it the thrill of the chase. god i love it ! GO FISH!!

[RonE]

If 300 people loose their jobs, it will be the first time in my experience that a government job was eliminated. When I see the way that some of the equipment that Parks and Wildlife has is treated, it is a shame that more people are not fired. I know that equipment wears out but a lot of it is abused and ill maintained. I am happy to see the cuts. Anytime that any government cuts spending is a good time in my opinion. It is sad that some good employees will loose their jobs and a shame that some bad employees will not loose their jobs.

[corndog]

I went thru a 10% work force reduction and a 10% pay cut last year. It meant I had to pull a heavier load. My team pulled together and carried the load. When we re staff we only added 5% of the positions back. Our numbers are up and we got rid of a few that were not pulling their weight. Its tough times these days and is hitting home hard!! I hope it works out for all the hard working people out there.

[sfef84]

If 300 people loose their jobs, it will be the first time in my experience that a government job was eliminated. When I see the way that some of the equipment that Parks and Wildlife has is treated, it is a shame that more people are not fired. I know that equipment wears out but a lot of it is abused and ill maintained. I am happy to see the cuts. Anytime that any government cuts spending is a good time in my opinion. It is sad that some good employees will loose their jobs and a shame that some bad employees will not loose their jobs.

God... you think TPWD is bad?

I grew up in San Diego and saw the abuse of top-notch gear every day by USCG, Border Patrol (and US CUSTOMS, pre CBP), and Navy. (Navy can do what they want, no issues there, but I can definitely see why there is a difference between Brunswick Commercial Division Whalers and rec Whalers.)

Every year in SD bay there is a huge Christmas Light boat parade and is pretty dangerous due to the 2000 boats navigating in the dark. Last year a 33' USCG patrol boat doing 30 knots hit a 26' sea ray and killed a little boy.

My buddies and I surfed every day and often, could hear the humming of 900hp center consoles doin 60mph in 8ft seas. Just flyin up and down the coast burning who knows how much fuel every day and driving em like they were "hot." There is a spot off of Point Loma named "Ralphs" that is a point break only accessible by boat and we would catch em doing donuts in the big surf and launching their quarter million dollar boats in 8 ft waves. They would always see us coming to the post and take off in half a second to avoid being reported.

Don't get me wrong, I understand that keeping the country safe is expensive, but the abuse of equipment paid for by the people really upsets me.

[RonE]

...Don't get me wrong, I understand that keeping the country safe is expensive, but the abuse of equipment paid for by the people really upsets me.

It upsets me also!

[Swells]

TPWD is unlike a bunch of other guv'mint agencies because it is mostly self-funded, such as through park fees, licenses, and taxes on sporting goods. They not only have an enforcement program with the game wardens, but biologists, a very large grant program such as for boat ramps, and administrative support for all the policy and database work. The cuts will affect every function of the TPWD, which has been short-changed by the Legislature such as for maintaining parks. Basically, the Lege is stealing their money (from fees and taxes) to balance the statewide general revenue account. Large cuts will also affect its sister agency that helps with coastal issues, the General Land Office. As is usual, you will probably see higher fees and licenses on September 1, but get way less in services. Like all those stocking programs? Many might be cut out. We won't know the final effects until the Lege passes their appropriations and then the TPWD sets their internal budget sometime in August. It could be a massacre of epic proportions. Oh well.

[sfef84]

Correct me if I am wrong, but I thought Game Wardens were deputized??