Yep, here I go again. Anyway, for those of you who don't know the Gov called a special legislative session since the legislators couldn't get their shit together and pass the state budget and figure out what to do with a billion dollar surplus. The gov tried to get hookers and blow for everyone, but that got shot down as well as the stream access bill that I whole-heartedly supported and you all would have if you paid attention.
The legislators are back in session and I sent the following email to the following folks. Cut and paste if you want. This is one last chance to try to improve stream access while the legislators are a bit scared for their jobs since they could not get the work done in the allotted timeframe. Remember, these people are supposed to work for us.
Here is the email I sent:
Dear Legislators:
I appreciate the fact that this special session is focusing on the state budget, and tax reductions/rebates due to the budget surplus; however, the state can keep my $400 if you all can work together and somehow resurrect and pass Senate Bill 78 or similar, and provide Montanans better stream access. I've listened to the testimonies from both sides as well as testified in front of the Montana Senate, and the bottom line is that it is tough to knock on someone's door to ask permission for access when the landowner lives in California or New Jersey.
This special session is going to cost Montanans over $200,000, so please make it worth it to your constituents. I don't represent any group, I am just a voter that likes to fish, hunt and recreate on Montana rivers and streams, and I would like my children and their children to have that same opportunity. The last poll that I saw showed that 85% of Montanans support improved stream access.
I've attached a photo of the fence adjacent to the Craig Bridge on the Missouri where I've accessed the river to fish for the last 15 years.
I appreciate the fact that this special session is focusing on the state budget, and tax reductions/rebates due to the budget surplus; however, the state can keep my $400 if you all can work together and somehow resurrect and pass Senate Bill 78 or similar, and provide Montanans better stream access. I've listened to the testimonies from both sides as well as testified in front of the Montana Senate, and the bottom line is that it is tough to knock on someone's door to ask permission for access when the landowner lives in California or New Jersey.
This special session is going to cost Montanans over $200,000, so please make it worth it to your constituents. I don't represent any group, I am just a voter that likes to fish, hunt and recreate on Montana rivers and streams, and I would like my children and their children to have that same opportunity. The last poll that I saw showed that 85% of Montanans support improved stream access.
I've attached a photo of the fence adjacent to the Craig Bridge on the Missouri where I've accessed the river to fish for the last 15 years.
Thank you for your time
Here is the email list that I sent it to. All of these folks either supported an earlier access bill or are fisher/hunter folk, or are assholes that are important:
mailto:kaufman@mt.net; galen@hollenbaugh.org; senatorjohn@bresnan.net; jim@jimelliot.org; gallus@aware-inc.org; llsd22@yahoo.com; rheinert@lclink.com; kendallvandyk@gmail.com; parkmont@hotmail.com; michelereinhart@gmail.com; joebalyeat@yahoo.com; brown.roy@bresnan.net; jeff@jeffessmann.com; vjack@centurytel.net; ricklaible@aol.com; oneil@centurytel.net; cooneyemail@aol.com; mlange6@hotmail.com
4 comments:
"Remember, these people are supposed to work for us."
Hmmmm......a bit delusional. I think you're efforts are better spent elsewhere.
An hour at the county assesors office will get you all the landowner contact info you need. Knocking on doors isn't totally necessary. A simple polite phone call has unlocked thousands of acres of hunting ground for me.
You are obviously very skilled and patient enough to track down contact info of people as evidenced by you're e-mail list.
Jimbob,
You have an interesting point; however, the county assessor doesn't have phone numbers, and is only open on weekdays. A lot of people in this day and age don't even have land lines, so there is no way to track some phone numbers down.
I do like your style though, so will you provide me with those phone numbers and locations of those thousands of acres, as I am very polite on the telephone, and need to submit my big game applications soon. Thanks
Groover
They are all in my beloved Idaho. I will be happy to tell you where they are if you come over and hunt with me.
If you can't get a hold of them, then they don't exist. Therefor you can and should trespass.
I bet the cell phone dude's home address was hard to track down....
Damn your stinking Idaho. If it is not steep, wet (either snow or rain)and brushy, then it is dry, steep, and loaded with cactus and rattlers.
Either way, I will videotape from the truck or the top of the bluff.
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