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Fish and Game warns of unrestricted-fund shortfall; OHRV online sales and transfers to DNCR draw scrutiny
Summary
Officials from the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department told House Finance Division II that the agency’s unrestricted fund balance is projected to shrink sharply under the governor’s proposed budget and that an upcoming switch to online OHRV registration, existing statutory transfers to DNCR and constraints on dedicated accounts complicate the agency’s financial outlook.
Stephanie Simic, director of the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department, and Kathy LaBonte, the agency's chief of business operations, briefed the House Finance Committee Division II about the department's revenues, dedicated accounts and the governor's budget proposal.
“Your starting point is the governor's recommended budget,” Fiscal said, and LaBonte walked the committee through restricted (dedicated) and unrestricted revenue sources. The agency reported 16 dedicated accounts and 13 pots of unrestricted revenue. LaBonte said license revenue makes up roughly 35% of the department's unrestricted revenues; other sources include OHRV/marine road-toll receipts, federal grant indirect-cost recoveries (about $0.9–1.0M per year), and miscellaneous income.
LaBonte presented a 17-year Fish and Game Fund balance history showing a low point around FY2015 and an unaudited beginning balance of about $13.2 million at the end of FY24. Using the governor's recommended budget figures without additional general-fund infusions, the department's projections show the unrestricted Fish and Game Fund…
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