I want to make you all aware of what the AWSC is trying to do. The AWSC is trying to get support for the following:
This is from their site:
LRB-3172 (CAP/STEP LEGISLATION) FEATURES
1. Makes registration a one-time event unless a transfer occurs.
2. Requires the use of an annual trail use sticker to ride on snowmobile trails.
3. Establishes a two tiered trail use sticker fee - $34.25 and $14.25 for AWSC member effective July 1, 2010. Owners with valid registrations for 2010-2011 receive a $15.00 credit for their 2010-2011 trail use sticker. Owners whose snowmobile registration expires on June 30, 2010 will not have to renew their registration and instead only will need to acquire an annual trail use sticker.
***Call this what it really is, a increase for any NON club members and a discount for a club members. This is just as Bill Schumann himself said to Fox 6 in Milwaukee (January 2009) that there should not be ANY raise in the registration with the economy. Also this would give a state resident only a .75 cent discount (per year) on a pass over a non resident user?
4. Authorizes AWSC as the vendor for resident snowmobile club trail user stickers and that AWSC will be able to recoup its administrative costs.
NOTE: Trail use stickers would continue to be available to non-AWSC members through DNR and associated vendors.
5. Trail stickers become the basis for appropriations, rather than registrations.
6. Allocates the entire non-resident trail fee to the Supplemental Account.
7. Eliminates the sunset provision on nighttime 55 mph speed limit.
***Does this mean that they support the night time 55 MPH or not? Again they are not specific, and from all the meetings I have been to this is how they keep an open door to switch their agendas into place.
8. For fiscal years 2010-2011 and for the 2 fiscal years thereafter, appropriates: ***The registration money is not the AWSC's money to give away, this is the state of Wisconsin's money, so unless the AWSC is coming up with this money from their pocket this is ultimately the AWSC trying to re distribute the states money...since when are they a government organization?
• $150,000 for state law enforcement. Actual appropriation is roughly $25,000 as 2009-2010 state budget includes nearly $125,000 for law enforcement
• $40,000 for alcohol education and alternative transportation programs
***What are these programs EXACTLY? There are NO specifics. At the last G.S.R.C meeting Morris was asked what these were and Morris/the AWSC did not have an answer
• $30,000 for state trails.
9. Creates an absolute sobriety standard for operators under the legal drinking age.
***This is ALREADY the standard.
10. Doubles the penalties for intoxicated snowmobilers if a minor under the age of 16 is riding on the snowmobile.
***How many of the fatalities and or accidents over the past 10 years have involved under age drinkers? I will find out
TOLL-FREE LEGISLATIVE HOTLINE: 1-800-362-9472
AWSC CAP/STEP LEGISLATION
For nearly four decades, volunteers (particularly AWSC members) have maintained the quality and safety of Wisconsin snowmobile trails. These trails are regarded as some of the best (if not THE best) in the country. Snowmobiling has become one of our state’s leading outdoor activities, contributing hundreds of millions of dollars in tourism and retail revenue to state coffers.
During these many years, AWSC members have been paying up to $20.00 annually in membership dues in addition to standard registration fees. They have purchased expensive grooming machines, acquired access to properties and volunteered countless hours of their time in order to assure the quality of our trails.
***The clubs have bought this, with money that WE the non members and members have donated, along with the membership dues.
Shortfalls in funding and reimbursement have become regular occurrences, and the financial burden and time commitments placed upon AWSC members have grown immense. Nearly $2 Million in project requests for the 2009-2010 snowmobile season were denied due to a shortfall in available funds, while the number of volunteers maintaining our trails is shrinking.
***There are short falls EVERYWHERE right now, we are in a recession, this happens. EVERY YEAR there are projects not approved and short falls, the state does not have empty pockets.
Several states have addressed these growing problems by instituting their own versions of the CAP/STEP program, successfully increasing funding for snowmobiling and increasing membership in organizations that foster trail maintenance, quality and safety.
***Which states have done this? None in the Midwest, they are all out east where the registration is low and so are the club memberships.
Registration fees in our state have not increased in over 10 years. Even though costs have gone up significantly over that period, each year the quality of our trails has remained intact due to the efforts of volunteers who often pay out-of-pocket to keep our system in top condition.
***Can we see the specific amounts that have been paid out by the volunteers? If this is a legitimate claim then there should be paperwork that can be audited to back this up.
Combining annual registration and trail pass fees, snowmobilers in our neighboring states typically pay more than Wisconsin operators even though our state has many more miles of trails to maintain and supervise. Through the CAP/STEP program, Wisconsin can remain a tourism draw, infuse much-needed revenue into the Snowmobile Program and increase membership in clubs which for decades have been carrying more than their fair share of the workload with respect to maintaining Wisconsin’s snowmobile trails.
***The above fees mentioned nothing about marketing for tourism. The clubs are not forced to maintain the trails, this is a VOLUNTEER basis, club members and non club members do trail work before, during, and after the season. What about the land owner who does not belong to a club and maintains his own land? What benefit do they receive, NONE.
Under this program, we are not forcing snowmobilers to join clubs. ***YES THEY ARE!!! Join our clubs or else you pay more, either way they will get their $20*** We are asking the Legislature to raise the cost of resident trail fees for every resident snowmobiler. The exception is that if an individual already contributes $20.00 annually to a not-for-profit AWSC member club, the cost of that club membership will act as a credit toward the purchase of a resident trail pass. ***Again what about the land owners who give the permission for the clubs to come across our land? We receive NO benefit. What about the land owner who also does all their trail improvements, they have not received money to improve their land, why are they not able to receive this benefit? With out land owner permission we would not have such a good trail system. It ALL STARTS with the land owners.
What about the non land owner non club member who stops at the local club buys food and drink and raffle tickets and spends more then $20 a year, haven't they reached the magical contribution amount?
Again, similar programs in other states have proven to be extremely successful in raising capital and increasing active membership numbers. ***These programs are out east in areas with small registration numbers and small club membership. Lets look at the AWSC and the overwhelming membership numbers? They are dwindling and the demographic is dominantly 60 +, they are not growing their membership numbers like they used to and they do not have a good business plan to address this, yes bottom line this is a business. The AWSC has approximately 18000 members give or take and there are approximately 228000 registered sleds in WI, this is 7% of the total registration. The AWSC needs money so either they need new members and their dues or they want the state to place a $19.25 (per year) fee on our registration and then have the state give the money to the AWSC.
The continued success of the Wisconsin snowmobile trail system is at risk, and the time to raise the cost of operating a sled is at hand. ***Again Bill Schumann himself said to Fox 6 in Milwaukee (January 2009) that there should not be ANY raise in the registration with the economy, so what has changed since then? NOTHING we are still in a recession.
If there is a need to increase registration for a REAL reason, what about <font color="ff0000"></font><font color="ff0000"></font><font color="ff0000"></font><font color="ff0000"></font> increase, not going from $15 to $34.25 a year.
Michigan Snowmobile Trail Permit is: $35.00
Minnesota Snowmobile Registrations Fee: $45.00
***Both Michigan and Minnesota have more sleds registered then WI and the trails are safer....
***This proposed bill does not have the sport of snowmobiling in Wisconsin in mind, it is plain and simple the AWSC as a business trying to help their agenda and their bottom line.
There are other ways to increase the membership in the AWSC and the support for our sport but this is not one of them!
In the spring AWSC meeting I could not believe the disconnect I saw between what the membership wants and what the leaders of the AWSC have since represented to the GSRC; again showing that the membership they have is not treated as being important to them (The AWSC) as a business, but yet it is that membership that has created the good and bad of the AWSC
This is from their site:
LRB-3172 (CAP/STEP LEGISLATION) FEATURES
1. Makes registration a one-time event unless a transfer occurs.
2. Requires the use of an annual trail use sticker to ride on snowmobile trails.
3. Establishes a two tiered trail use sticker fee - $34.25 and $14.25 for AWSC member effective July 1, 2010. Owners with valid registrations for 2010-2011 receive a $15.00 credit for their 2010-2011 trail use sticker. Owners whose snowmobile registration expires on June 30, 2010 will not have to renew their registration and instead only will need to acquire an annual trail use sticker.
***Call this what it really is, a increase for any NON club members and a discount for a club members. This is just as Bill Schumann himself said to Fox 6 in Milwaukee (January 2009) that there should not be ANY raise in the registration with the economy. Also this would give a state resident only a .75 cent discount (per year) on a pass over a non resident user?
4. Authorizes AWSC as the vendor for resident snowmobile club trail user stickers and that AWSC will be able to recoup its administrative costs.
NOTE: Trail use stickers would continue to be available to non-AWSC members through DNR and associated vendors.
5. Trail stickers become the basis for appropriations, rather than registrations.
6. Allocates the entire non-resident trail fee to the Supplemental Account.
7. Eliminates the sunset provision on nighttime 55 mph speed limit.
***Does this mean that they support the night time 55 MPH or not? Again they are not specific, and from all the meetings I have been to this is how they keep an open door to switch their agendas into place.
8. For fiscal years 2010-2011 and for the 2 fiscal years thereafter, appropriates: ***The registration money is not the AWSC's money to give away, this is the state of Wisconsin's money, so unless the AWSC is coming up with this money from their pocket this is ultimately the AWSC trying to re distribute the states money...since when are they a government organization?
• $150,000 for state law enforcement. Actual appropriation is roughly $25,000 as 2009-2010 state budget includes nearly $125,000 for law enforcement
• $40,000 for alcohol education and alternative transportation programs
***What are these programs EXACTLY? There are NO specifics. At the last G.S.R.C meeting Morris was asked what these were and Morris/the AWSC did not have an answer
• $30,000 for state trails.
9. Creates an absolute sobriety standard for operators under the legal drinking age.
***This is ALREADY the standard.
10. Doubles the penalties for intoxicated snowmobilers if a minor under the age of 16 is riding on the snowmobile.
***How many of the fatalities and or accidents over the past 10 years have involved under age drinkers? I will find out
TOLL-FREE LEGISLATIVE HOTLINE: 1-800-362-9472
AWSC CAP/STEP LEGISLATION
For nearly four decades, volunteers (particularly AWSC members) have maintained the quality and safety of Wisconsin snowmobile trails. These trails are regarded as some of the best (if not THE best) in the country. Snowmobiling has become one of our state’s leading outdoor activities, contributing hundreds of millions of dollars in tourism and retail revenue to state coffers.
During these many years, AWSC members have been paying up to $20.00 annually in membership dues in addition to standard registration fees. They have purchased expensive grooming machines, acquired access to properties and volunteered countless hours of their time in order to assure the quality of our trails.
***The clubs have bought this, with money that WE the non members and members have donated, along with the membership dues.
Shortfalls in funding and reimbursement have become regular occurrences, and the financial burden and time commitments placed upon AWSC members have grown immense. Nearly $2 Million in project requests for the 2009-2010 snowmobile season were denied due to a shortfall in available funds, while the number of volunteers maintaining our trails is shrinking.
***There are short falls EVERYWHERE right now, we are in a recession, this happens. EVERY YEAR there are projects not approved and short falls, the state does not have empty pockets.
Several states have addressed these growing problems by instituting their own versions of the CAP/STEP program, successfully increasing funding for snowmobiling and increasing membership in organizations that foster trail maintenance, quality and safety.
***Which states have done this? None in the Midwest, they are all out east where the registration is low and so are the club memberships.
Registration fees in our state have not increased in over 10 years. Even though costs have gone up significantly over that period, each year the quality of our trails has remained intact due to the efforts of volunteers who often pay out-of-pocket to keep our system in top condition.
***Can we see the specific amounts that have been paid out by the volunteers? If this is a legitimate claim then there should be paperwork that can be audited to back this up.
Combining annual registration and trail pass fees, snowmobilers in our neighboring states typically pay more than Wisconsin operators even though our state has many more miles of trails to maintain and supervise. Through the CAP/STEP program, Wisconsin can remain a tourism draw, infuse much-needed revenue into the Snowmobile Program and increase membership in clubs which for decades have been carrying more than their fair share of the workload with respect to maintaining Wisconsin’s snowmobile trails.
***The above fees mentioned nothing about marketing for tourism. The clubs are not forced to maintain the trails, this is a VOLUNTEER basis, club members and non club members do trail work before, during, and after the season. What about the land owner who does not belong to a club and maintains his own land? What benefit do they receive, NONE.
Under this program, we are not forcing snowmobilers to join clubs. ***YES THEY ARE!!! Join our clubs or else you pay more, either way they will get their $20*** We are asking the Legislature to raise the cost of resident trail fees for every resident snowmobiler. The exception is that if an individual already contributes $20.00 annually to a not-for-profit AWSC member club, the cost of that club membership will act as a credit toward the purchase of a resident trail pass. ***Again what about the land owners who give the permission for the clubs to come across our land? We receive NO benefit. What about the land owner who also does all their trail improvements, they have not received money to improve their land, why are they not able to receive this benefit? With out land owner permission we would not have such a good trail system. It ALL STARTS with the land owners.
What about the non land owner non club member who stops at the local club buys food and drink and raffle tickets and spends more then $20 a year, haven't they reached the magical contribution amount?
Again, similar programs in other states have proven to be extremely successful in raising capital and increasing active membership numbers. ***These programs are out east in areas with small registration numbers and small club membership. Lets look at the AWSC and the overwhelming membership numbers? They are dwindling and the demographic is dominantly 60 +, they are not growing their membership numbers like they used to and they do not have a good business plan to address this, yes bottom line this is a business. The AWSC has approximately 18000 members give or take and there are approximately 228000 registered sleds in WI, this is 7% of the total registration. The AWSC needs money so either they need new members and their dues or they want the state to place a $19.25 (per year) fee on our registration and then have the state give the money to the AWSC.
The continued success of the Wisconsin snowmobile trail system is at risk, and the time to raise the cost of operating a sled is at hand. ***Again Bill Schumann himself said to Fox 6 in Milwaukee (January 2009) that there should not be ANY raise in the registration with the economy, so what has changed since then? NOTHING we are still in a recession.
If there is a need to increase registration for a REAL reason, what about <font color="ff0000"></font><font color="ff0000"></font><font color="ff0000"></font><font color="ff0000"></font> increase, not going from $15 to $34.25 a year.
Michigan Snowmobile Trail Permit is: $35.00
Minnesota Snowmobile Registrations Fee: $45.00
***Both Michigan and Minnesota have more sleds registered then WI and the trails are safer....
***This proposed bill does not have the sport of snowmobiling in Wisconsin in mind, it is plain and simple the AWSC as a business trying to help their agenda and their bottom line.
There are other ways to increase the membership in the AWSC and the support for our sport but this is not one of them!
In the spring AWSC meeting I could not believe the disconnect I saw between what the membership wants and what the leaders of the AWSC have since represented to the GSRC; again showing that the membership they have is not treated as being important to them (The AWSC) as a business, but yet it is that membership that has created the good and bad of the AWSC
