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Fish and Wildlife officials warn of deep budget shortfalls; commissioners push strategy to rebuild trust and mobilize champions
Summary
Department CFO Morgan Stinson told the Big Tent Committee the agency faces ongoing multi‑million dollar reductions and low capacity for new requests; commissioners urged a broad outreach and advocacy strategy to rebuild legislative trust and protect hatcheries and programs.
Morgan Stinson, chief financial officer for the Department of Fish and Wildlife, told the Big Tent Committee on April 16 that the agency is facing a difficult budget outlook for the next biennium and limited capacity for new policy requests.
"Spoiler: it will not be great," Stinson said during a budget overview that traced the agency’s spending across program areas and compared the 2023–25 biennium with projected 2026 funding. Stinson said the department has seen reductions across nearly all program divisions and that the cumulative, ongoing impacts total "many millions of dollars" in permanently lost resources.
Stinson showed the state budget outlook and said available revenue in the projection was approximately $82,000,000,000 but that ongoing expenditure levels create roughly a $1,000,000,000 problem at the start of the next biennium. She warned the…
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