Delegation of Northern Michigan lawmakers sent a letter to the DNR director Thursday condemning the underhanded fundraising techniques

State Rep. Ken Borton on Friday called out leadership at the Department of Natural Resources for their ongoing attempts to hike prices for Michigan residents wherever they see an opportunity. Borton joined nine of his colleagues from Northern Michigan and the Upper Peninsula in sending a letter to DNR Director Scott Bowen demanding his department cease their efforts to push additional costs onto outdoor enthusiasts.

“These deceiving efforts to boost their own bottom line just further expose DNR leadership’s long-term plan of stripping every ounce of joy from those who enjoy the outdoors,” said Borton, R-Gaylord. “Not only that, but now the DNR wants to trick people, many of whom live in the city and never have been to a state park, into purchasing year-long recreation passes. My wife and I love the recreation passes because we frequent state parks across Michigan, but we also love our freedom to opt-in to the program. No one should be automatically enrolled into a program they may be entirely unaware of.”

DNR leadership is currently pursuing fee hikes on hunting, fishing, and boating licenses, while also making a last-ditch attempt to strong-arm lawmakers into transitioning enrollment into annual recreation passports on license plates from an opt-in to opt-out model. Under the opt-out proposal, no more than 20% of the funding earned through recreational passports will go to local parks, the rest of the funding goes right back to the DNR.

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