A few regular readers have commented to me (in person or via email) that they miss my periodic rants on this blog. The past few weeks have been busy ones. I expect they will remain and get busier! But that’s no excuse for not writing.

One of the things I’ve been doing is spending time with my family. Family reunions, family vacations, and family outings (like the 4th of July holiday).

A brief rant about my otherwise very enjoyable July 4 festivities…

My son and I visited our local Dick’s Sporting Goods store to pick up fishing supplies on July 3, anticipating fishing at Nathaniel Cole Park during our picnic on July 4. A new fishing reel, a few new lures, and the old standby of night crawlers were in hand as we went to the register. The only other thing I needed was my yearly New York fishing license. Little did I know I would pay more for the license than any other single item we purchased, including the reel!

Here in New York, residents 16 and older pay $19 for a yearly fishing license. Most New Yorkers probably feel OK about such a high price for a license, believing that most of that money is going for a good cause–like paying the salaries of Environmental Conservation Service officers who patrol for poachers and otherwise work to keep New York’s wild areas in good condition.

Unfortunately for me, I have carnal knowledge about the $19 I just paid. Here in New York, the legislature and the governor are corrupt. As I’ve written before (NY Governor Paterson Adds ‘Thief’ to His Resume), the governor and legislature steal money from programs that charge fees for recreational purposes like snowmobiling and boating to fund obscenely high welfare payments in our state. The money raised by fees is specifically for those purposes it was raised–unless you live in New York.

Pity the NY government department that has a budget surplus in any given year, because it will be seized and used for purposes other than what it was collected for. It is morally repugnant and likely illegal. But when everyone is on the take as they are in Albany, trying to get any kind of attention or action on such wrongdoing is futile.

Do I have direct evidence that in this year’s budget money was taken from fishing licenses and used for other purposes? No. But I have a big suspicion such is the case, and if I were a betting man, I’d make a large wager that such is the case. Our “leaders” have robbed from just about every other recreation-related fee in the state. It stands to reason they also did it with fishing licenses.

I can’t help but think that if the fee were $10 or $12 (the true cost to cover salaries and expenses), instead of $19, how many more people would avail themselves of this great pastime. Instead, those like myself who fish are forced to help fund New York’s welfare cheats. Disgusting.

Technorati Tags: New York State budget, New York fishing license fee, New York fishing license, New York Department of Environmental Conservation, corrupt New York officials, Gov. Patterson, New York legislature, welfare cheats