DNR Scandal Rocks State!!! (Lansing: budget, layoffs, house)

[UpperPeninsulaRon]

I cannot believe that my original post did not warrant one single comment. I guess I should use stronger language in the title. Here it is right from the Lansing State Journal:

Mich. DNR says it has more money than expected

Midday update

It turns out the state Department of Natural Resources doesn't need to increase hunting and fishing license fees this budget year.

DNR Director Rebecca Humphries told lawmakers this week that the Game and Fish Fund will have a $10 million fund balance because of an unexpected increase in license sales, operational savings and higher-than-expected returns on investments.

The department had warned of layoffs and other cuts if fees weren't increased this year. Humphries said fee hikes still are needed in the 2008-09 fiscal year because of expected funding shortfalls.



Let's see. The DNR found it had $10 million instead of $3 million. Then they talk about operational savings. Has anyone ever heard of a company tripling its amount in the bank due to using pencils longer and cutting down on toilet paper usage?

Ah. Then they talk of investments. They must have a real sage investing their money. I'll bet they even have BIG OIL and BIG DRUG in their portfolios to get that kind of return.

Oh - I forgot those huge increases in license sales. Boy they were lined up a hundred deep at the license office.

Give me a break. Why is there no outrage. And please - please - do not say "There's nothing we can do about it. It's just the way it is."

[malamute]

There should be a lot of outrage but it was likely the outrage over another increase that allowed them to "find" this extra money laying around.

[darstar]

This is not an excuse , but , Governments , " invest'" along the same lines as other institutional investors. Money markets , bonds, and other tools won't look so good this next time around. Budgets are always a year behind actual costs , or , a year ahead , depending on the way their funds are counted, collected , and invested. Its , all about numbers......

[UpperPeninsulaRon]

Originally Posted by darstar

This is not an excuse , but , Governments , " invest'" along the same lines as other institutional investors. Money markets , bonds, and other tools won't look so good this next time around. Budgets are always a year behind actual costs , or , a year ahead , depending on the way their funds are counted, collected , and invested. Its , all about numbers......

I'm not quite sure what the quote means. It sounds like some of the stuff Alan Greenspan used to say to confuse the markets. My point was that someone was "hiding the weenie". The money was somewhere that the DNR did not want us to know about.

In fact, I heard this morning from a Michigan Representative that the DNR was refusing to groom a ski trail for "lack of funds" and local folks were going to do it for them. Guess what? The DNR to save face decided to groom the trail. There is something very bad going on at the DNR.

[darstar]

Originally Posted by UpperPeninsulaRon

I'm not quite sure what the quote means. It sounds like some of the stuff Alan Greenspan used to say to confuse the markets. My point was that someone was "hiding the weenie". The money was somewhere that the DNR did not want us to know about.

In fact, I heard this morning from a Michigan Representative that the DNR was refusing to groom a ski trail for "lack of funds" and local folks were going to do it for them. Guess what? The DNR to save face decided to groom the trail. There is something very bad going on at the DNR.

The point is , they can make the numbers go ever which way , for what ever reason. Alan Greenspan is still doing that , and , he is retired !

[tcb]

I'm susprised, how did nobody catch this?

[berries]

trust em far as you can throw em....its yer money they are playin with...git mad

[Amy99]

There's no outrage over ANYTHING these days, if 'ya ask me.

Michigan's DNR, the White House's missing 10 million emails, etc.

I think we as a people have 'given up.' I shoulda been around in the 60s.

[darstar]

Originally Posted by Amy99

There's no outrage over ANYTHING these days, if 'ya ask me.

Michigan's DNR, the White House's missing 10 million emails, etc.

I think we as a people have 'given up.' I shoulda been around in the 60s.

Yep , thats the power of the news media, they pump whatever fits their agenda and whoever is in their pocket,or vice-versa.They were not so well connected in the 60s...........and , today , Shooter, was busy burning all the evidence , got a little out of hand tho..........

[zygnoda]

You can't expect anything less. We are talking about politics here. It's always dirty somehow....