Program |
Gross Appropriation |
Appropriation Breakdown |
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|
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Natural Resources Magazine |
$52,200[142] |
All from Special Revenue Funds |
Program Description:
This line item is responsible for the publication of Natural Resources magazine, which has an annual circulation of 400,000 and is published six times a year with no paid advertising. This office also prints books and other publications that provide natural resource information, as well as sells nearly fifty titles purchased from private, commercial book publishers.
Recommended Action:
The Michigan Department of Management and Budget (MDMB), in a 1992 publication, stated, "The magazine regularly loses money. It is possible a private publisher would be able to produce the magazine at either no cost to the state, or a profit to the state through the sale of publishing rights."[143] While production of the magazine is now done privately, the state should immediately sell the publication to the private sector.
Program |
Gross Appropriation |
Appropriation Breakdown |
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Fish Production |
$6,804,000[144] |
All from Special Revenue Funds |
Program Description:
The line item described as "Fish Production" collects, incubates, and hatches eggs and transports fish to both the Great Lakes and inland fisheries.
Recommended Action:
MDMB has written, "Several states contract for the operation of hatcheries. Other states neither own nor operate hatcheries. Those states purchase fish from private hatcheries. The DNR needs to determine the most cost-effective . . . arrangement."[145] And that would be for the state to immediately sell its hatcheries, and use the revenue to purchase fish from private hatcheries--when necessary.
Program |
Gross Appropriation |
Appropriation Breakdown |
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MacMullan Conference Center |
$1,121,100[146] |
All from Interdepartmental Grants |
Program Description:
The MacMullan Conference Center is a hotel/lodge located on Higgins Lake. It is used by a wide range of governmental agencies for overnight training sessions and conferences. It can house up to 100 people a night.
Recommended Action:
As recommended by the MDMB in its 1992 study, the state should not operate a resort-type facility for its employees.[147] The MacMullan Conference Center should be sold to the private sector.
Program |
Gross Appropriation |
Appropriation Breakdown |
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|
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Private Forest Development |
$857,900[148] |
All from GF/GP |
Program Description:
This program provides financial assistance to private landowners in hopes of facilitating wise ecological use of their property.
Recommended Action:
Private landowners, many of whom are financially well off, should be responsible for the stewardship of their land, and have a financial incentive to do so. They can rely on a variety of private sector environmental, agricultural, and educational organizations for information regarding the best ecological methods. Michigan citizens should not be required to subsidize private landowners; this program should be eliminated immediately.
Program |
Gross Appropriation |
Appropriation Breakdown |
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Hunting Access Program |
$315,500[149] |
All from Special Revenue Funds |
Program Description:
The Hunting Access Program leases private lands throughout southern Michigan for public hunting. For the upcoming fiscal year, the state has leased property from 237 landowners in 37 counties.
Recommended Action:
This is another clear example of the dominance of political society, with the state interfering in an area where private individuals can, and do, perform the same activity through civil society means. Every year thousands of Michigan hunters reach mutually beneficial agreements with private landowners regarding their desire to hunt on the landowners' property. This system works well, and there is no reason to believe it won't continue to do so in the future. The Hunting Access Program should be eliminated immediately.
Program |
Gross Appropriation |
Appropriation Breakdown |
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|
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Docks and Harbor |
$2,191,000[150] |
All from Special Revenue Funds |
Development |
|
|
Program Description:
The Dock and Harbor Development Program, in an attempt to encourage tourist-related economic development, assists with the development of harbors and docking facilities on the Great Lakes shoreline.
Recommended Action:
The state already runs an extensive public access sites program that acquires, develops, and maintains public docks and launching sites throughout the state--including sites located on the Great Lakes. Indeed, as of 1995, the state operates more than 680 such sites statewide. The state does not need to further its involvement in similar activities. This program should be eliminated.
Program |
Gross Appropriation |
Appropriation Breakdown |
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Forest Stewardship Grants |
$625,000[151] |
All from Federal Funds |
Program Description:
The Forest Stewardship Grants assist private landowners develop plans for long-term protection of private forest resources.
Recommended Action:
Private landowners, many of whom are financially well off, should be responsible for the stewardship of their land, and have a financial incentive to do so. They can rely on a variety of private sector environmental, agricultural, and educational organizations for information regarding the best ecological methods. Michigan citizens should not be required to subsidize private landowners; this program should be eliminated immediately.
Program |
Gross Appropriation |
Appropriation Breakdown |
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|
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Urban Forestry Grants |
$400,000[152] |
All from Federal Funds |
Program Description:
The Urban Forestry Grants provide information and technical assistance to local governments and volunteer groups for urban forest activities such as tree inventories and planting.
Recommended Action:
Local governments and volunteer groups should be responsible for their own urban forest activities. This program should be eliminated.