Carlson letter: Gibbs depredation bill

Rep. Marcus Gibbs ( R-Grace) thinks that the sportsmen and women of Idaho are a generous lot.

Why else would he introduce legislation (HB 230) that generously gives $2.5 million of their money to ranchers and farmers in the form of increased depredation payments?

Gibbs was able to determine that this pressing need for an increase in the Fish and Game depredation fund was warranted without public input from either the sportsmen and women or landowners.

This move by Gibbs followed his January rejection of proposed legislation submitted by the Idaho Fish and Game Commission to increase license fees for the first time in several years. His refusal to even print that proposed legislation was accompanied by a demand for commission approval of increased depredation funding.

Any wonder that voters question who is working in their interest?

This story was originally published March 12, 2017 at 11:47 PM with the headline "Carlson letter: Gibbs depredation bill."