Proposed Legislation: WDFW Commissioners To Receive Salary

Josh said:
Perhaps more of us who aren't currently commissioners would be more likely to do it if we got paid for our time?
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If it causes us to have a better pool of commissioners then I could definitely get behind it.

However if they are not going to be selected and get looked over for someone who alligns with certain agendas then we are now paying salaries for more of the same...
 
At first blush, this sounds like a well-intentioned move that could open doors for people who couldn't otherwise afford to give up the time (someone like a fishing or hunting guide, for example). The trouble, as with most efforts to change the makeup of the commission, comes down to the fact it is the governor, and only the governor, who can appoint commissioners. Until governors stop using commission appointments as opportunities to advance their political agendas (you can guess when that will happen, because it won't), commission appointments will forever be for the sake of political advantage; not for the sake of fair, equitable representation.

Unless they change the way commissioners get appointed to some sort of public process, this will effectively turn commissioners into paid lobbyists, which I can't imagine will do much to serve the interests of any stakeholders who are currently under-represented. Indeed, I think this is a step in the wrong direction. I'd be all for it if the commissioners weren't political appointees, but such as it is....
 
Yeah, I admit I don't have a lot of faith that this will improve things.

I just know that "I" couldn't afford to put that much time and effort into something like this without getting paid. And I suspect many of us would say the same.
 
Josh said:
Yeah, I admit I don't have a lot of faith that this will improve things.

I just know that "I" couldn't afford to put that much time and effort into something like this without getting paid. And I suspect many of us would say the same.
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You just gotta attract lobbyists. I'm trying to get on the commission. I can be bought by the highest bidder.
 
I say no. Hell no really, but
If the pe.r diem and reimbursement for travel expenses. Either you're there to serve or your not. If not move over for someone wants to be there. Dozens of people on this site are qualified and would like the opportunity.
 
Seems like most Commissioners are either retired folks or people who own their own business and have flexible schedules. While the work is mostly interesting, it's a pretty thankless task for all the controversial issues that arise. I've seen the "briefing books" that the Commissioners receive for each monthly meeting. These are often 200 page 3-ring binders, so the amount of reading material can be suffocating. I generally like how the volunteer commission has worked for us, but if the current move toward politicizing the commission continues, the outcome could be a disservice to both fish and wildlife and to our state's citizens. A salary would make this a job and not a volunteer service. At the moment I'm thinking that under that circumstance, maybe we don't need a commission and just have the governor appoint the director, like for all the other state agencies, making it a political plum given to the governor's political supporters. Yikes!
 
The new commissioners have been very transparent of their intentions. One of them said publicly and in writing, "they see a future where the hunter is no longer needed for conservation". I can't imagine paying for someone to take something from me that I love.

This is one of the reasons I left the state in 2021...it was so obvious to me that this was where it would eventually end up. I'm not complaining about it or even saying they're wrong. It just wasn't something that I could tolerate, so I exercised my freedom of movement.
 
Matt Paluch said:
State revenue has been consistently beating expectations by a significant margin over the past several years. The state has plenty of money for salaries of commissioners.
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I know I love how they allocate it for resource management and other stuff that really benefits their citizens. I especially like paying the weight fee for all my Motorcycles. I mean the roads around me are in phenomenal shape. Phenomenally horrible that is.
 
Dustin Chromers said:
I know I love how they allocate it for resource management and other stuff that really benefits their citizens. I especially like paying the weight fee for all my Motorcycles. I mean the roads around me are in phenomenal shape. Phenomenally horrible that is.
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Most road maintenance is the responsibility of the county. Government budgets are very complicated, and it's certainly reasonable to be critical of how money is spent. That's a different discussion though, and the salaries paid to WDFW commissioners wouldn't have any measurable effect on the state budget.
 
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