Home
Successes
Join MSSA
Contact Us
Search This Site
Montana Shooting
Ranges
Montana Firearm
Manufacturers
and Gunsmiths
Events, Matches, Shows
Attorney Referral List
News Releases
Legislative News
Archives
Publications
Gun Laws
CWP Info
Event Calendar
Importing Firearms
Quotations
Picture Gallery
Pin Shoot
Links
Informed Juries
No SSN
"Modwest has done a great job for MSSA!"
--Gary Marbut, MSSA President
|
March 12, 2005
Shooting Range Funding
Dear MSSA Friends,
Pasted below is a letter intended for Representatives in the House, to restore and increase funding for the Shooting Range Development Program.
I encourage you to copy this letter, put in your Representative's name, and your name and the name of your sportsmen's group at the bottom, and get it sent ASAP.
This letter is the exception to the rule of the "write your own letter" approach. You are invited to send this one as-is. Certainly, if you want to create your own letter, you are welcome to do so.
Please circulate this to all clubs operating shooting ranges, and any friends you know who may be interested.
Thanks,
Gary Marbut, president
Montana Shooting Sports Association
http://www.mtssa.org
author, Gun Laws of Montana
http://www.mtpublish.org
=============
Dear
The Shooting Range Development Program (SRDP) uses hunter license income for FWP to make matching grants to establish or improve safe and suitable places for people to shoot across Montana. This program was first funded in 1989 at the request of the Montana Shooting Sports Association, and we've worked diligently to grow the program ever since. Although initially opposed, FWP has gradually warmed up to the program. We finally got the Shooting Range Development Act (87-1-276-279), passed in 1999 to make the program permanent.
We believe that if people are not shooting, they won't be hunting, so this program is an essential investment for the long-term future of FWP. Also, we estimate that 90% of the households in Montana contain firearms, and these people need safe and suitable places to shoot.
For many budget cycles since the SRDP inception, the entire budget for SRDP has been committed by the first day the funds have become available. The funds budgeted have been used completely every budget cycle. A great deal of shooting range improvement has been accomplished under the SRDP.
Last session, the program was funded at $360,000 for the biennium. The Martz budget for this session cut the program back to less half of that. The Schweitzer budget maintained that cut. That's where the SRDP funding sits now. We need that funding restored, and increased. We'd like to see $500,000 plugged into the program for the upcoming biennium.
The natural resources portion of HB 2 will be heard on the House floor soon, probably on March 18th. We are asking Rep.s Wanzenried, Muskgrove, Wells and Clark to take the lead in getting this funding restored and increased. One of them will prepare the necessary amendment to HB 2 to address the SRDP. We ask you to support them.
Thank you.
If you wish to receive email alerts as legislative circumstances evolve,
send us an email
and ask to be included on the legislative information email list.
|
