Madison, WI – Senator Rob Stafsholt released the following statement after the Joint Legislative Audit Committee directed the non-partisan Legislative Audit Bureau to conduct the comprehensive audit of the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Fish and Wildlife accounts that he recently called for publicly:
“This audit is a huge step towards figuring out where the sportsman and sportswomen dollars go. I think it is imperative that our hunters, anglers and trappers know where their license dollars and fees are being spent, and that it is being spent by the DNR efficiently on things that are a priority for the people who are footing the bill. These sportsman and sportswomen deserve accountability and transparency in the management of these funds. The results of the audit will provide insight on how Wisconsin will move forward to efficiently protect our natural resources and support these outdoor activities that are a vital part of Wisconsin’s heritage and economy.”
In July, Senator Stafsholt requested that Co-Chairs Sen. Wimberger and Rep. Wittke, and their colleagues on the Joint Legislative Audit Committee direct the non-partisan Legislative Audit Bureau to conduct an audit of the Fish and Wildlife accounts, including federal funds from Pittman-Robertson and Dingell-Johnson grants, to identify any inefficiencies or mismanagement at the DNR. The results of this audit, will help to ensure sporting dollars are being used to support conservation efforts and outdoor recreation.
“There continues to be talk of more hunting and fishing license fee increases, even after the increases we did to some of the non-resident hunting and fishing licenses this session. I believe additional license and fee increases on the backs of our sportsmen and sportswomen should be a non-starter until there is accountability and transparency in the management of their existing funding. We need to find out if there are other user groups of our natural resources who maybe do not contribute at all, or perhaps not enough, for the dollars they benefit from that are paid by sportsman and sportswomen’s fees and licenses. Before we consider license and fee increases, we need to wait for the results of the audit.”
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