yamahagirl
Check your hyfax ...
This article was in the February 2004 issue of Michigan Snowmobile News. Michigan Snowmobile News is a magazine distributed by Michigan Snowmobile Association (MSA) and sent out to MSA members.
The following article was posted on a different message board, but is important to all who snowmobile in Michigan.
This is lengthy, but important....
On Christmas eve, 2004 (Probably should say 2003), the Grinch Who Stiole Christmas made a stop at the Michigan Governors mansion, and instead of taking away all the presents under the tree, she took away our right to spend our own funds. Yes, Gov. Jennifer Granholm line item vetoed two special appropriations in the state budget that would have given us the right to spend $3 million that, today, just sits in the snowmobile fund.
The appropriations would have had zero impact on the state budget. It wasn't money coming from the state budget. It was money sitting in our Snowmobile Trail Improvement Fund. The money in that fund comes from 100 percent of your registartion fee, all trail permit money and a very small amount of the gasoline tax we pay.
My question and the question all snowmobilersshould be asking is this: how can the Governor justify that she has an industry in her state that generates a billion dollars a year and costs her state nothing, yet, she won't allow them to spend their own money?
You might recall that last year we had a fund balance in the snowmobile fund because of the way our funds were appropriated. We were able to work with the DNR and state appropriations comittee and increase our appropriation. We were also able to use the nearly $1 million that was in our fund balance last year.
Several months ago, the DNR told us that, because of the governor's spending freezes and an increase in the gasoline tax, we were going to have a fund balance again this year. Being proactive, we began working with our state legislators on appropriations that would give us the right to spend that money - our money. Both the House and Senate agreed that we should be allowed to spend the money that has bult up in the snowmobile fund. Both bodies had alrady approved those appropriations.
The two line items vetoed by the governor consisted of $2 million going toward out new permanant trails and $250,000 going toward the repair of bridges in the northwest lower peninsula.
We contatced the Michigan's Executive Office and asked why these appropriations were line item vetoed. Greg Bird, of the State Budget Office said "The Governor is very supportive of recreational oppurtunities in this state, and the oppurtunity to expand on them, however, this appropriation was put in during the late stages of the process and the Governor's office didn't have the opportunity to review them."
When explaining that these appropriations would have zero impact on the state budget, Bird said, "With the enormous budget deficit facing the state, the governor felt it wasn't prudent to purchase additional lands at this time. The governor felt it just wasn't wise to appropriate money to purchase additional lands ... perhaps in the future."
Actually the governors office had more that 30 days to research exactly how we were going to use these funds, and they were provided information on exactly what we are trying to do through the Snow Country Conservancy and permant trails.
As far as the purchase of property or easements costing the stae money, let me stress that the property or easements would be purchased through the Snow Country Conservancy, not the state. Taxes are not required on the easements, and taxes on any property would be paid for through the snowmobile program, our funds. The same funds we are asking to spend. In other words, permanant trails in this state will never cost this state a dime, and we have put that in writing to the governor's office.
FInally, Bird was asked why snowmobuilers weren't being allowed to spend money that have paid for the right to snowmobile in this state and he said he would have to double check on where those funds were coming from. He said it was his understanding that the funds were to be used for trail improvements. Actually the snowmobile law says that they can be used improvements, Maintenance and the purchase of easements. He said he had to check on that and get back to us. He hasn't gotten back to us.
Now we have to start the process over again, asking thr DNR to put in a special appropriation, not only to use those funds but also funds left in the Sheriff and DNR law funds. The total now stands at over $3 million. We have to work throught the House and Senate asking them to gives the right to spend our money. At this point, it seems like we have to beg them to use our money.
Also remember, even though these funds are "dedicated funds" the governor, with one stroke of her pen, could take them for use elsewhere in the state budget. That is the same governor, with the stroke of her pen said "no" to allowing us to use our funds. We continue to keep a watchful eye on what's going on in Lansing, but have learned the hard way, nothing is a sure thing.
I am asking that you drop a note to Gov. Granholm and remind her of some of the things that i have mentioned. Tell her that you just want to be allowed to use the funds you paid to snowmobile in this state, on snowmobiling.
Contact the Governor:
Governor Jennifer Granholm
P.O. Box 30013
Lansing, MI 48909
Phone: (517) 373-3400
FAX: (517) 335-6863
The following article was posted on a different message board, but is important to all who snowmobile in Michigan.
This is lengthy, but important....
On Christmas eve, 2004 (Probably should say 2003), the Grinch Who Stiole Christmas made a stop at the Michigan Governors mansion, and instead of taking away all the presents under the tree, she took away our right to spend our own funds. Yes, Gov. Jennifer Granholm line item vetoed two special appropriations in the state budget that would have given us the right to spend $3 million that, today, just sits in the snowmobile fund.
The appropriations would have had zero impact on the state budget. It wasn't money coming from the state budget. It was money sitting in our Snowmobile Trail Improvement Fund. The money in that fund comes from 100 percent of your registartion fee, all trail permit money and a very small amount of the gasoline tax we pay.
My question and the question all snowmobilersshould be asking is this: how can the Governor justify that she has an industry in her state that generates a billion dollars a year and costs her state nothing, yet, she won't allow them to spend their own money?
You might recall that last year we had a fund balance in the snowmobile fund because of the way our funds were appropriated. We were able to work with the DNR and state appropriations comittee and increase our appropriation. We were also able to use the nearly $1 million that was in our fund balance last year.
Several months ago, the DNR told us that, because of the governor's spending freezes and an increase in the gasoline tax, we were going to have a fund balance again this year. Being proactive, we began working with our state legislators on appropriations that would give us the right to spend that money - our money. Both the House and Senate agreed that we should be allowed to spend the money that has bult up in the snowmobile fund. Both bodies had alrady approved those appropriations.
The two line items vetoed by the governor consisted of $2 million going toward out new permanant trails and $250,000 going toward the repair of bridges in the northwest lower peninsula.
We contatced the Michigan's Executive Office and asked why these appropriations were line item vetoed. Greg Bird, of the State Budget Office said "The Governor is very supportive of recreational oppurtunities in this state, and the oppurtunity to expand on them, however, this appropriation was put in during the late stages of the process and the Governor's office didn't have the opportunity to review them."
When explaining that these appropriations would have zero impact on the state budget, Bird said, "With the enormous budget deficit facing the state, the governor felt it wasn't prudent to purchase additional lands at this time. The governor felt it just wasn't wise to appropriate money to purchase additional lands ... perhaps in the future."
Actually the governors office had more that 30 days to research exactly how we were going to use these funds, and they were provided information on exactly what we are trying to do through the Snow Country Conservancy and permant trails.
As far as the purchase of property or easements costing the stae money, let me stress that the property or easements would be purchased through the Snow Country Conservancy, not the state. Taxes are not required on the easements, and taxes on any property would be paid for through the snowmobile program, our funds. The same funds we are asking to spend. In other words, permanant trails in this state will never cost this state a dime, and we have put that in writing to the governor's office.
FInally, Bird was asked why snowmobuilers weren't being allowed to spend money that have paid for the right to snowmobile in this state and he said he would have to double check on where those funds were coming from. He said it was his understanding that the funds were to be used for trail improvements. Actually the snowmobile law says that they can be used improvements, Maintenance and the purchase of easements. He said he had to check on that and get back to us. He hasn't gotten back to us.
Now we have to start the process over again, asking thr DNR to put in a special appropriation, not only to use those funds but also funds left in the Sheriff and DNR law funds. The total now stands at over $3 million. We have to work throught the House and Senate asking them to gives the right to spend our money. At this point, it seems like we have to beg them to use our money.
Also remember, even though these funds are "dedicated funds" the governor, with one stroke of her pen, could take them for use elsewhere in the state budget. That is the same governor, with the stroke of her pen said "no" to allowing us to use our funds. We continue to keep a watchful eye on what's going on in Lansing, but have learned the hard way, nothing is a sure thing.
I am asking that you drop a note to Gov. Granholm and remind her of some of the things that i have mentioned. Tell her that you just want to be allowed to use the funds you paid to snowmobile in this state, on snowmobiling.
Contact the Governor:
Governor Jennifer Granholm
P.O. Box 30013
Lansing, MI 48909
Phone: (517) 373-3400
FAX: (517) 335-6863
SlowSRX
New member
- Joined
- Mar 11, 2004
- Messages
- 101
Good posting, I'm gonna put up this link on some other mich forums so other people can see it too.
This state is just messed up anymore.
This state is just messed up anymore.
yamahagirl
Check your hyfax ...
SlowSrx, since this article the governer has responded and from my understanding is working with MSA.
