Our budget proposal was developed in accordance with guidelines from the Governor's office, which authorized the Department to spend no more than what is generated from the sale of licenses, permits and other revenue sources that are administered by the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.

Missing in these budget guidelines is approval to submit a general fund appropriation equivalent to 18% of the Department's requested biennial budget as authorized by the Fiscal Stability Program. The law requiring that the budget include this general fund appropriation was enacted last year. With exception of funding for overtime, the proposed budget eliminates all general fund assistance.

As we undertook the task of meeting the budgetary "bottom line", we established some criteria to guide us in deciding in which areas and how spending reductions would be achieved. The principle consideration was the protection and maintenance of native, self-sustaining fish and wildlife populations. We attempted to preserve staffing and funding that is necessary for regulatory control of fish and game. We also considered legal obligations regarding the application of dedicated funds and expectations that we apply revenue derived from various recreational vehicles user fees to watercraft, snowmobile and all terrain vehicle safety and education programs.

The Department's original budget request for fiscal year 2004 was $23,577,878.

Department revenues from existing sources are expected to total $18.2 million.

This leaves a deficit of $5.3 million. Two million dollars of this deficit will be covered by an across the board license hike of $6.00 on licenses and a $5.00 fee on any deer applications. The proposal would require that license fees be reviewed during each biennium and adjusted to maintain parity with the Consumer Price Index. The remaining $3.3 million will have to be achieved by reducing expenses.

This proposed level of funding would necessitate the elimination of 42 positions currently supported by the general fund, eliminate some programs and terminate the employment of some employees. When possible to meet operational needs and avoid laying people off, we eliminated vacant positions or transferred positions to appropriate self-funded dedicated accounts. We have considered ways to move as many affected people as possible from low priority into higher priority positions.

Of the 42 positions, 10 general fund positions will be transferred to dedicated accounts, 6 vacant positions will be abolished, and up to 26 employees will be laid off if the proposed budget is adopted unchanged. We will continue to seek ways to ensure the least impact on people in the Department, the resources we are charged to protect and the public we serve. In spite of our efforts to maintain current levels of service, if enacted as proposed, there will be changes in all program areas:

Nine positions would be eliminated from the Wildlife Division, as well as a 17% decrease in operating funds:

• Elimination of the animal damage control program. The beaver and coyote control programs would be eliminated. Nuisance wildlife will now need to be handled by the landowner, towns or by a private service.
• Wildlife population and habitat surveys will be reduced 60% by reducing the amount of money available for flying contracts and temporary help. Without this data, the department will need to be more conservative in issuing hunting permits.
• Two wildlife biologist positions will be eliminated in the resource assessment section headquarters in Bangor. We will focus on deer, bear, moose and game birds. Our capacity to manage other mammals will be lost. A wildlife planner position will be transferred from the Commissioner's Office to the Division to assist in administration of some functions performed by the positions.
• Positions that assist visits to the Swan Island campground facility and three positions that perform management and maintenance activities on other Department wildlife management areas will be abolished.
• The replacement of aging and outdated equipment will cease.

Eight positions would be eliminated from the Fisheries and Hatcheries Division, and the operating budget would be cut by 13%:

• Four hatchery positions will be eliminated causing a reorganization of the program and closing of one hatchery.
• There would be a 10% reduction in stockings of trout, eliminating fishing opportunities. Some production might be restored with hatchery renovations.
• Aerial surveys and temporary help for fisheries fieldwork would be reduced by 60%. These surveys are instrumental in establishing harvest regulations and will reduce our capability to manage some fisheries. The fisheries planner will be transferred from the Commissioner's Office to the Division to assist in administration of these functions.
• Fish biologist positions in Gray, Sidney, Strong and Enfield will be abolished, eliminating much of the ability to manage stocked fisheries in the southern, central and western part of the state.
• The replacement of aging and outdated equipment and systematic replacement of the current fleet of hatchery trucks will cease

Three lieutenant positions, three sergeant positions and 2 district game wardens in the warden service will be eliminated. The operating budget will be cut by 14%:

• Support to other law enforcement agencies and activities not directly related to fish and wildlife management or recreational vehicles will be eliminated. In many rural towns, game wardens are the only law enforcement available, giving citizens quick response time to emergency situations.
• Loss of leadership personnel will mean a slower response time to public inquiries, media requests and administrative functions.
• Loss of sergeant positions will mean less direct supervision of field personnel and slower response time as sergeants perform warden duties in addition to their supervisory tasks.

Two positions will be eliminated in the Information and Education Division and funding will be cut by 15%:

• Elimination of $50,000 from a promotional account will result in fewer opportunities for informing the public as well as promoting fish and wildlife related tourism and licenses sales. This will result in a loss of some revenue and may result in a drop in federal funding.
• Elimination of Assistant Recreational Safety Officer will impact educational safety programs for snowmobiling, boating and ATVs, and slow the development of online and other more modern recreational safety training delivery systems.

Six positions will be eliminated in the Bureau of Administrative Services which performs licensing, accounting, and engineering tasks. There will be an 8% decrease in funding:

• Elimination of positions means remaining staff will need to prioritize work, and some tasks will be delayed.
• A carpenter position would be eliminated, requiring the department to procure outside help on projects. Hiring temporary help will prove to be more costly.
• Elimination of two clerk typists' positions will mean slower processing of licenses and registrations. It is anticipated that successful automation of some systems will improve efficiency.
• Position status summary

Administrative Services

Status	Program/Classification	Location	Action
Filled	Accountant II	Augusta	Elimination
Filled	Accountant Tech	Augusta	Transfer
Filled	Carpenter	Augusta	Elimination
Filled	Clerk III	Augusta	Elimination
Vacant	Clerk II	Augusta	Elimination

Licensing

Status	Program/Classification	Location	Action
Vacant	Data Entry Specialist	Augusta	Elimination

Fisheries and Hatcheries

Status	Program/Classification	Location	Action
Filled	Bio I	Gray	Elimination
Filled	Bio I	Sidney	Elimination
Filled	Bio Specialist	Enfield	Elimination
Filled	Bio Specialist	Strong	Elimination
Vacant	Fish Culture Supervisor	Palermo	Elimination
Vacant	Fish Culture Asst. Sup.	Augusta	Elimination
Filled	Fish Culturist (seasonal)	New Gloucester	Elimination
Vacant	Fish Culturist (seasonal)	Phillips	Elimination

Wildlife

Status	Program/Classification	Location	Action
Filled	Bio Specialist	Bangor	Transfer
Filled	Conservation Aide	Swan Island	Elimination
Filled	Conservation Aide	Swan Island	Elimination
Filled	Reservation Clerk	Sidney	Elimination
Vacant	Data Entry Opr. (Inter)	Augusta	Elimination
Filled	Maintenance Mech	Sidney	Elimination
Filled	Laborer II	Sidney	Elimination
Filled	Bio Specialist	Swan Island	Elimination
Filled	Biologist III	Bangor	Elimination
Filled	Biologist II	Bangor	Elimination

Warden Service

Status	Program/Classification	Location	Action
Filled	Lieutentant	TBD	Transfer
Filled	Lieutentant	TBD	Transfer
Filled	Lieutentant	TBD	Transfer
Filled	Sergeant	TBD	Transfer
Filled	Sergeant	TBD	Transfer
Filled	Sergeant	TBD	Transfer
Filled	Clerk Typist III	Augusta	Transfer
Filled	Game Warden	TBD	Transfer
Filled	Game Warden	TBD	Transfer
Filled	Game Warden xfer	TBD	Transfer
Filled	Game Warden xfer	TBD	Transfer
Filled	Game Warden xfer	TBD	Transfer
Filled	Game Warden xfer	TBD	Transfer
Filled	Game Warden xfer	TBD	Transfer
Filled	Game Warden xfer	TBD	Transfer

Salary Savings

Information and Education

Status	Program/Classification	Location	Action
Filled	Superintendent	Gray	Transfer
Vacant	Ass't Safety Officer	Augusta	Elimination
Filled	Safety Officer	Augusta	Transfer