"Fish and Game director warns budget cuts would carry ‘direct negative impacts’ on services"

Nine business days into her tenure as the executive director of Fish and Game, Stephanie Simek was called Thursday to present the department’s vision for the next state budget.

Complicating her early-tenure task: At a time when agencies are preparing for a tighter budget ahead, Fish and Game faces significant, long-standing financial challenges, those within the department have said and a bipartisan legislative study committee concluded in a November report. 

“Testimony given throughout our study committee meetings indicated the Fish and Game Department is headed to a financial shortfall,” the report warned. “It needs either to increase General Fund funding, increase fees, find areas to cut spending, or look hard at reducing some of the services it offers.” Read more