Hi folks, Sorry to jump on this in a negative manner but I think this posting is getting a bit unrealistic. First of all, adding a 'sin tax' to wildlife observation would be typical of our recent foray into loss of freedom and I think I might be hearing the White-throated Sparrow singing O' sweet canada, canada, canada rather than Sam Peabody. Second, it is deceptive to take the numbers commonly given to justify birding's economic impact. Despite the MOU's statement that there are 1.8 million Minnesota bird-watchers there are less than 20,000 MN birders (combined total of MOU & MN Audubon = 14,500). Unlike the numbers given for anglers (1.1 Million to 1.6 Million)and hunters (452K to 597K) where either you bought a license or you didn't bird-watchers are everything from a daily birder with a 5,000 life list to most of the hunters and anglers above to the folks that consider that noticing the first robin of the year is all there is. You could debate these numbers to death but the fact is that anglers/hunters actively participate in their sport and support the organizations (DU, PF, & MDHA = 83,552 members) whereas birding groups don't (MOU & MNAud members = 14,500). This is common sense, the statement below states there is 28 retail stores selling wild bird food and supplies, well I bet Brainard has more fishing and hunting stores than that, let alone the state. Gander Mtn probably has more square footage than all 28 bird stores. Third, it is counter-productive to compete with hunting and fishing organizations when the ultimate goal of habitat preservation, rather write your congressperson and ask why the energy bill included 8 billion dollars of pork for the energy lobby. Fourth, there are many organizations set up to lobby or protect habitat for nongame species, support Nature Conservancy, or Sierra, or WWF, or state DNR, Natural Resources Defense Council, etc... They certainly are more adept at habitat preservation than the yokels writing policy in the Washington who would probably use the money raised to improve the fishing in their private summer lake. Fifth, what are you going to tax? Bird food? (now your messin with the farmers and the 28 retail stores that focus sales on bird food - see below) Optics? (you just alienated astronomers, opera afficienados, hunters and target shooters who are already paying sin taxes on their equipment, the Nascar crowd, etc...) Gasoline? (isn't there already a tax on gasoline), books? (wouldn't that be a tax on education), guide service? (I wonder how the guides on this group would react if they had to fill out all the paper work and give the gov't 2-10% of their sales). Sixth, public perception, how many govenors have took the media out on a Big Day? They never miss fishing opener. How many law makers use their recess to go birding (aside from Jimmy Carter)? The list for law making hunters reads like a U.S. History Book. Seventh and most important a fee would drive people away rather than pique their interest. As the population rises and there is increasing urbanization and sprawl the knowledge of and respect for the land diminishes. I have noticed this in just my lifetime and predict it will get much worse. The more ignorant the public is to our natural heritage the less likely they are to protect it. Next it doesn't pan out in dollars and sense. Looking at the numbers: ". Number of bird-watchers 1,810,000 . Number of fishermen 1,109,000 . Number of hunters 452,000 . Money spent by bird-watchers 1991 $345,333,000 . Money spent by hunters 1991 $289,690,000 . Money spent by fishermen 1991 $846,246,000 . Number of retail stores in Minnesota that focus sales strictly on wild-bird feed and bird-related merchandise 28. . Jobs provided in Minnesota by bird-related businesses: 2,910. (Birding supported 234,000 jobs across the nation in 1991.)" - MOU Media Guide
Seems extremely inflated after Randy's fantastic survey during last years owl irruption: "Responses= approximately 265 Birders represented= approximately 720 (excluding Karla's 500 for her Festival of Owls) Money documented= $226,168.00" Membership: MOU Members: 1500 (MOU Brochure) MN Audubon: 13,000 (website) Pheasants Forever MN: 20,000 (website) Ducks Unlimited MN: 43,552 (fact sheet) Minnesota Deer Hunters Association: 20,000 (web site) "Minnesota - Hunters 597000 Anglers 1.6 million Total Expenditures $2.17 billion Total Jobs 41000 Salaries and Wages $1.04 billion State Tax Revenue $182 million Ripple Effect on the State Economy $4.18 billion " The American Sportsman (http://www.sportsmenslink.org/Sportman/pop_state.asp?id=23) Carl (taxed to death) Greiner I'd dress up like a first american and dump tea into the Boston Harbor but it would probably kill the fish.