If you buy a hunting or fishing license, you help pay for Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources Division (WRD) programs that support wildlife and fish improvement programs and enforcement of game and fish laws. If you buy any hunting or fishing supplies, you also support federal programs that do the same thing.
I have never had a problem with buying licenses since I know most of that money goes toward things I use and programs that I like. The cost is a user fee, a good way to have the people that use something pay for it. But even with license fees and federal taxes on equipment, there is not enough money for all the programs needed.
Unfortunately, not all the money brought in by those fees and taxes goes to the programs for wildlife and fish. In 2011, for example, license fees, taxes on hunting and fishing supplies and tax on gas for boats brought in about $135,000,000 to Georgia. But since that money goes into the general fund, our state legislators decide how much of it goes back to programs it should support. Last year the WRD received only $86,000,000 for all its programs, $49,000,000 less than we paid in.
There is a proposal to correct this problem. The “Sportsman’s License Incentive” would do several things to insure our fees and taxes go toward programs we need and support. And it would dedicate funds raised to those programs.
The first part of the proposal may not sound good at first glance. License fees in Georgia have not increased since 1992. At $10 for a hunting license, $9 for a fishing license and $9 for a big game license, they are an incredible bargain. For example, an Alabama resident fishing license is $12.85. Our license fees, even if doubled, would be well worth the cost if we knew the money would go toward WRD programs.
The proposal offsets an increase in license fees. When you buy fishing or hunting equipment you pay a state sales tax of 4% plus any local option sales taxes. If this incentive is passed in its proposed form, any holder of a Georgia hunting or fishing license would be exempt from the state sales tax.
That would probably save you money in the long run. For example, if the license fees double and you pay $56 for hunting, big game and fishing license rather than the current $28 you will spend an additional $28 each year. And that money would go to programs that you support.
If you buy a $5 fishing lure you would save only 20 cents, but how many lures do you buy each year? Buy a $100 rod and reel combo and you save $4. Buy a box of 30-06 cartridges for $25 and you save a dollar in taxes. Buy a $500 rifle and save $20. For me, and probably for you, it wouldn’t take long to more than make up for the difference. I probably buy enough plastic worms each year to come out ahead!
Sales taxes that would be exempt and therefore lost to the state under this proposal are a very tiny fraction of total state sales taxes collected. It would not impact state revenue very much but would have a big impact if the same amount is spent on WRD programs since those programs are funded at such a low level now.
The way it would work is you would show your Georgia fishing or hunting license when buying an exempt item and there would be no state sales taxes on it. That should encourage more people to buy a fishing or hunting license each year. And it would apply to a nonresident of Georgia buying an out of state license here, so it might encourage more folks from other states to wait until they came here to buy their equipment.
It would also put local businesses on a more competitive footing with internet and mail order sales. Companies not in Georgia that sell to Georgians are supposed to collect sales taxes and send them to Georgia, but many do not. That makes their products cost four percent less than the same item would cost locally.
In the proposal, almost all fishing tackle and supplies would be exempt, including rods, reels, line, terminal tackle, nets, life jackets and other things. It would also include boats and motors, both gas and electric, so those big ticket items would save you a lot in taxes if you plan on buying them.
Other fishing related items that would be exempt include pond fertilizer, fish food and fish feeders. You would also get a break on depth finders, GPS units, paddles and just about anything else related to fishing.
Bow hunters would get a break on all bow hunting equipment from bows and arrows to quivers. Gun hunters would not have to pay sales taxes on guns of any kind, bullets, tree stands, reloading equipment and supplies and scopes. Even folks that don’t hunt but would be willing to buy a hunting license would get bird feed and feeders without paying sales tax. And if you plant food plots for hunting or just to enhance wildlife habitat fertilizer and seeds would be exempt.
This proposal will be discussed between now and January, 2016 and hopefully a bill to make these changes will be introduced into the legislature at the beginning of next year.