Home > Outdoors > Archives > 2008 > February > 01 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USNeed a license? Expect to pay more
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Georgia hunters, fishers and boaters spend about $20 million per year for licenses. And they have around 1,100 locations around the state where they can walk in and get signed up.
With a new licensing system that should be fully implemented by the end of the year, it’ll cost more to get a license, and there’ll likely be fewer places (outside of Wal-Marts) to make a purchase.
The boat registration process is expected to be up and running late this summer. The hunting and fishing system is expected in late fall.
The changes were necessary, say Wildlife Resources Division officials, because the current system — which includes keypad/printer units at retail stores — is outdated and becoming more difficult to maintain the hardware. Currently, licenses can be purchased online (no fee is included) and at retail stores.
The new Internet-based system, managed by an out-of-state vendor (Central Bank) that runs similar systems for 20 other states, will charge a fee for every license transaction. It will be web-based, with real-time license data to prevent duplication, block sales when necessary, and be immediately available to the WRD. Telephone sales will be back after being unavailable the past year.
“Without a doubt it’s going to be a better licensing system,” said WRD assistant director Todd Holbrook. “But it’s not without growing pains.”
Just how painful the surcharges will be in the minds of sportsmen is yet to be seen. The fees will be assessed per transaction and not per license.
Here’s a breakdown of the surcharges (charged by vendor Central Bank):
Hunting/Fishing: For Internet sales, $2.75 in the first and second years and $2.50. For telephone sales, $4 the first year, $4.50 second year and $5 thereafter.
Boating: $8 for Internet transactions and $10 for telephone sales.
More troubling in the new system may be where you can get a license. Central Bank will contract with top 20 percent (by sales volume) and key license retailers. Retail stores which are set up with Internet access and the needed equipment simply facilitate the transaction.
As far as license sales volume is concerned, there’s probably no comparison between small “Mom and Pop” stores and big-box stores like Wal-Mart. You can be assured that you will be able to buy a license at all 85 Wal-Marts in Georgia, but not at many small outfits.
Holbrook says holes and snags will be addressed, but also made the point that anyone with a computer and the needed Internet access — even small tackle shops — will be able to purchase licenses.
It will be interesting to see how this pans out, considering around nine in 10 license buyers do it in person in Georgia, according to Holbrook. Shouldn’t anglers, for example, expect to be able to buy a license at the small tackle shop a mile away from the boat ramp? Just like they always have? Will people decide not to buy a license?
What’s your take?
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Comments
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By Riverpirate
February 1, 2008 1:17 PM | Link to this
I don’t like the fact that some of our money will be going out of state for some other profit.
By Roosevelt's Ranger
February 4, 2008 8:22 AM | Link to this
Scott,
I appreciate your article alerting the public to what amounts to a new tax aimed directly and the sportsmen & women of Georgia.
I watched, with a great deal of dismay, the video of the Wildlife Resource Division (WRD) Director and Assistant Director’s presentation to the House Game, Fish and Parks Committee. Being one that follows closely the ongoings of our legislature and the budget as it relates to our wildlife and other natural resources as well as the management and nurturing of our sportsmen and women, I was taken back by the Executive Branch’s micro-management and maneuvering to by-pass the legislative process in a move that raised the cost of hunting and fishing licenses.
I am also concerned that many of the traditional license agents will no longer be allowed to sell licenses. This most likely will prove to be a considerable inconvenience to the sportsmen and women of Georgia and could result in a net loss of participation at a time when are working so hard to increase that participation.
The suggestion to keep the licensing process in-house made by WRD seems to be the logical approach and would have allowed the agency assigned the task of working with the sportsmen and women some degree of flexibility in keeping the costs down or at least directly benefiting from any increase in fees paid. With approximately 800,000 transactions at the low end of $2.75 each the cost increase is a minimum of $2.2 million annually. Make no mistake about it, “out sourced” or “in-house”, that is in fact a tax increase aimed directly at the sportsmen and women of Georgia. It is a tax increase that came without representation and resulted in a potential drop in effective services.
As a sportsman and native Georgian I certainly do not mind paying my share to help preserve our wildlife, wild places and the traditions of hunting, fishing along with all the other outdoor activities that benefit from hunting and fishing such as hiking, camping, boating and trail riding. However, I do object to moves that needlessly add to that burden without returning any benefit to the resource. Again I do appreciate the renewed emphasis the AJC has shown on covering the “Outdoors”! Please keep up the great work!
By BillDawg
February 4, 2008 10:10 AM | Link to this
Looks like we’ve been back-doored again by our legislators! Keep on putting those fees on us folks, and you might find out you’ll be getting less revenue than you think! Outsourcing licenses is another of the most ridiculous plans I have ever heard of! Kiss my fishy A$$!!!
By DaBoss
February 4, 2008 10:23 AM | Link to this
I’m more concerned about Wal-Mart selling most of the licenses.
By Roosevelt's Ranger
February 4, 2008 11:35 AM | Link to this
BillDawg,
The legislature was not aware of this move until it was over. The DNR Commissioner operating at the whim of the Governor pushed this on WRD. WRD had asked that they be allowed to update to the new system and run it themselves. Commissioner Holcomb denied that request and informed our wildlife agency that a contract had already been signed.
I watched the legislative committee meeting where they learned about the new system and they were surprised that the contract was already in play.
I believe that some will point to this later and say “look we downsized government!” What they will not tell you is that they did so on the backs of the only group in our state that has consistently paid our own way! Georgia’s Conservationist/Sportsmen/women pay this additional $2.2 million or more and reap none of the benefit!
$2.2 million would buy a lot of land or give WRD employees some pay increase. If we have to pay more we should have some say via the legislative process or at least public input meetings. This is nothing more or less than taxation without representation!
By zzggyy
February 4, 2008 1:23 PM | Link to this
Each year I buy hunting and/or fishing licenses in a number of states, always over the internet. The methods and fees vary by state, but I consider Georgia’s to be among the best. It’s easy to use, retains info from the previous year, has no additional “transaction fees” and you simply print out your license on your own printer. Governments are less varied from state to state. They all seem to have a mindset that tells them: “This system really works well. Let’s figure out what we can do to make it less user-friendly and more expensive”.
By Nothin but Fish
February 5, 2008 8:51 AM | Link to this
In terms of the commissioner, let’s just say that I will stick with the wisdom of my Dad, “if I can’t say anything good I won’t say anything”.
On the license, I realized that with the asumption that the good Lord would alow me a few years that the lifetime license was the way to go so about 8 years ago I bought a lifetime for $500. This is good for life in Gerogia and provides everything a hunter or fisherman needs with regard to license except a fed. duck stamp. This is one heck of a deal.
Scott you are doing a good job with the outdoors stuff so keep it up. The AJC turned its back on outdoorsmen a while back but your statistics point out just how many sportsmen there are in the great state of Georgia….and that is only the hunters and fishermen…we still have hiking, boating, yaking and all of the other outdoor sports.
By mtd123xyzpdq
February 5, 2008 1:17 PM | Link to this
I’ve been buying my license on line for several years. I’ll never go back to getting a license from the Mom & Pop shop that may or may not be open when I have time to register. I can get my license from work, from home, from my laptop while I’m at the airport. Thanks for moving into the 21st century!
By Bobby Knight
February 5, 2008 2:52 PM | Link to this
With all this free time on my hands now…my neighboor’s pool is gonna look like swiss cheese….
By gadogs1
February 6, 2008 12:10 AM | Link to this
Someone told me that Bama is uping their non-residents license from $31 to $46. Does anyone know if it is true.
By Jim H.
February 6, 2008 8:55 AM | Link to this
If baffles me why anyone would go to the hassle of going out and purchasing a license when you can go online and have one in just a few minutes. You can also print out multiple copies so that you have spares in case the original gets damaged or lost, keep a copy in your vehicle and boat, etc. (I’m not entirely sure it’s legal to do that, but I certainly do). Surely more than one out of ten sportsmen are computer literate enough these days to make online purchases…..I think the WRD just needs to emphasize online license sales more.
By Roosevelt's Ranger
February 6, 2008 2:13 PM | Link to this
Jim H., it is illegal to possess more than one deer harvest record.
Not many people seem to have an issue with the “internet” part of this issue, at least not here in Metro Atlanta. However, you should remember that there are folks out there that do take issue with having to use their credit card on the internet.
My biggest concern is that we are adding a $2.2 million annual tax to the backs of sportsmen without sending that money to the professionals in OUR wildlife agency. We should be moving towards and urging our legislature to fund WRD at levels that allow them to complete the tasks that are assigned to them by law.
Instead, their budget is trimmed, more demands are placed on them and costly methods forced on them by our Executive Branch. No business or agency can function properly under such budget restraints and micro-management.
By Blackwater
February 7, 2008 11:35 AM | Link to this
Letter to Editor
Georgia legislators are learning about a new tax at the same time the sportsmen who are to be taxed are learning. Seems the outsourcing group for the state have let a single bid contract to a Missouri firm that will provide a web based hunting & fishing license and boat registration system for Georgia sportsmen. The cost will be a minimum of $2.75 up to an $8 fee that will be tacked on to the existing license & registration fee. All the new money goes to the vendor. The legislators are just now being informed of this new tax the governor has created without legislation.
At the same time, a 1987 bond issue funded by a sportsmen’s license fee increase used to buy and preserve state owned land for wildlife management was paid in full in 2007. The governor has sent word to the sportsmen that he doesn’t feel bound to keep the bond payment money flowing into government expense related to sportsmen’ issues. The sportsmen proposed the license increase for land purchases in the first place. When Sonny says Go Fish Georgia, I think he means he is fishing in the sportsmen’s pocketbooks.
Bill Prince Georgiariverfishing.com 3685 Highway 138 Covington, GA 30014 770-313-0782