OP
humanphibian
Guest
OK....sorry that this has been delayed a bit, but work keeps getting in the way.
Here is TPWD's official response to the Specialty License Plate:
________________________________________________________________
" Artificial Reef Program
Specialty License Plates:
POSITION STATEMENT
Issue:
In the last few years, numerous individuals have suggested that the TPWD Artificial Reef Program develop a specialty license plate for vehicles, similar to the Bluebonnet and Texas Horned Lizard. This would be a tool to promote the reef program with proceeds going back into the program budget. Recently, others have suggested that the specialty plate have a scuba diving theme. Numerous discussions through scuba board websites show some limited interest in the idea. Eleven divers have sent emails of support stating they would purchase at least 2 plates each and others have pledged their support by phone. Another 44 divers expressed an interest in the plates on a website. Many of these individuals stated that members of their clubs or organizations were interested in purchasing the plates.
There is no question that the plates would provide some public recognition for the artificial reef program as a benefit and may attract the interest of divers who would purchase them simply because it has a diver-related theme. Total numbers of plates sold could be a few hundred at the beginning.
With this interest, staff investigated the feasibility of establishing an artificial reef program specialty plate with a diver theme.
Background:
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is currently involved in the sales of specialty license plates for the generation of revenue and the general awareness of wildlife and fisheries programs and species. Four plates directly benefit agency programs and one is a cooperative program with Texas Ducks Unlimited that benefits wetland conservation efforts.
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department offers a Whitetail Deer conservation license plate, which benefits the big game program in Texas (Wildlife Division). Each plate sold generates $30.00 in addition to the regular vehicle registration fees, with $22.00 of that amount benefiting public hunting opportunities. Sales of this plate began in FY 2002 and 11,100 had been sold as of 12/31/2005.
A Largemouth Bass conservation license plate benefits the management and production of largemouth bass fishing (Inland Fisheries Division). Fees are the same as the Whitetail Deer plate. Sales of this plate began in FY 2002 and 7,296 had been sold as of 12/31/2005.
A Bluebonnet conservation license plate benefits Texas State Parks. Fees are the same as above. Sales of this plate began in FY 2001 and 19,417 had been sold as of 12/31/2005.
A Texas Horned Lizard plate benefits Wildlife Diversity programs (Nongame Program). Fees are the same. Sales of this plate began in FY 2000 and 75,924 had been sold as of 12/31/2005.
A Ducks Unlimited (DU) plate is also sold to benefit the conservation of wetlands. TPWD serves as a pass-through agency for the collected fees which are the same as above. As a 501(c3), DU receives a check from the Wildlife Division budget each fiscal year based on calendar year sales. DU receives approximately $50,000 per year.
The number one selling plate in the state is one that benefits The Commission on the Arts. It generates approximately $500,000 annually. It was the first plate and began in 1995. Since then, many other nonprofit groups, agencies, and universities have created specialty plates. Some have sold very few. The Texas Horned Lizard plate is now second in sales, passing the Be Kind to Animals plate in the last year or so.
Discussion:
Plates sold for $25 in the earlier years of the program and TPWD received $20 from each plate. In the last two years the plates have sold for $30 and TPWD received $22. The DU plate had its own cost (higher) but all specialty plates now cost the same. The Legislature is considering increasing the fee for specialty plates to approximately $35, but the amount TPWD would benefit for each plate would not increase (i.e. remain at $22).
To set up a specialty plate, TxDOT enters into an agreement with a private vendor to produce each plate. There is an initial deposit of $15,000 to set up the sale, and the entity receiving the funding must sell 3,500 plates before the reimbursement begins.
There is a great deal of uncertainty associated with this program. Due to legislative controls that are dictated to TPWD, we as an agency do not benefit to the extent that simply looking at the revenue generated by selling plates might suggest. For example, the Texas Horned Lizard plate has generated over $1.5 million in a dedicated fund for TPWD. In FY 2005, the Legislature did not allow any monies to be used from this fund, and only $95,000 was encumbered for the Wildlife Diversity budget in FY 2006. The DU plate generates perpetual funding that has been passed to DU by TPWD. However, this amount counts toward our agency budget cap, and although the funding goes toward projects TPWD cooperates on, the monies decrease the budget flexibility in that program.
The original legislation that set up deposits to TPWD from the sale of specialty plates channels funds into account 5004 (Capital Account). This account has over $3 million currently but not all of the funds are used due to legislative restrictions. This situation was not realized until after legislative approval of the specialty plate program. As the system is set up now, the TPWD Executive Office is not interested in any new plates with monies going into the 5004 Capital Account. Any new TPWD plate production needs to be established through new legislation that will contain a rider on how funds are deposited to TPWD.
In addition, any plates that would be issued by TPWD at present without any new legislative authority could not be used by the Artificial Reef Program. This is because only monies that can be moved into the reef account, other than grant money, are donation monies. If TPWD Artificial Reef Program is producing and selling the plates, then the monies generated are considered revenue coming from the sale of a product and thus cannot be treated as donation funds. Those revenue monies cannot be used because the reef program needs appropriation authority to use them, unlike donation funds.
Another issue concerns TxDOT and how they manage the specialty plate program. TxDOT has been charged through legislation to manage and market the specialty plate program. Some officials have stated that TxDOT may increase fees beyond and above those already placed on the plates by $10-$15 to compensate for any marketing program. This could significantly impact any public interest in some plates.
Program Position and Recommendation:
The benefit to having an artificial reef specialty plate is the visibility of having several thousand plates on vehicles around the state. If the plate carries a diver theme, then even more plates may be purchased by scuba divers in general regardless if they only dive in freshwater.
The best approach to obtaining a plate would be one in which a private entity produced and marketed a plate to benefit the construction of artificial reefs in Texas. This group would need to create their own design, fund the $15,000 set-up fee, and market the sales of the plates. The design is critical to the success of the sales, and funding/effort to market the plate widely significantly affects sales volume. Return on the plate (at present) is 73 cents on each dollar spent (73%) by the end user.
To get a specialty plate established, the private entity would need to introduce a new legislative bill on behalf of the Artificial Reef Program and locate an author that will put a contingency rider on it to allow appropriated estimated revenue to go to the TPWD Artificial Reef Account and allow the spending of all revenue generated for the program.
The bottom line is that only new legislative changes could establish an Artificial Reef Program specialty plate and ensure the funds generated are provided to TPWD in a manner that authorizes the spending of those funds.
J. Dale Shively
Artificial Reef Coordinator
10 May 2006 "
________________________________________________________________
SO..........it looks like TPWD is out. It's time to take a harder look at some of the alternatives that have been proposed.
I know that some people are looking into resurrecting GREAT. As I understand it's already (still?) set up as a 501C and can accept funds for distribution to "The Cause". I'm not familiar with GREAT. I personally do not care who receives the monies, as long as they are directed to benefit offshore reef development.
I have no idea if the public at large would have reservations sending funds to an entity that they were not familiar with. I strongly believe, if the license plate program is marketed correctly, any concerns regarding the administrative side of things would be a non issue. As long as the funds get used for their intended purpose, I think that the Plate will be a big hit.... for a long time.
thanks,
Scott
Here is TPWD's official response to the Specialty License Plate:
________________________________________________________________
" Artificial Reef Program
Specialty License Plates:
POSITION STATEMENT
Issue:
In the last few years, numerous individuals have suggested that the TPWD Artificial Reef Program develop a specialty license plate for vehicles, similar to the Bluebonnet and Texas Horned Lizard. This would be a tool to promote the reef program with proceeds going back into the program budget. Recently, others have suggested that the specialty plate have a scuba diving theme. Numerous discussions through scuba board websites show some limited interest in the idea. Eleven divers have sent emails of support stating they would purchase at least 2 plates each and others have pledged their support by phone. Another 44 divers expressed an interest in the plates on a website. Many of these individuals stated that members of their clubs or organizations were interested in purchasing the plates.
There is no question that the plates would provide some public recognition for the artificial reef program as a benefit and may attract the interest of divers who would purchase them simply because it has a diver-related theme. Total numbers of plates sold could be a few hundred at the beginning.
With this interest, staff investigated the feasibility of establishing an artificial reef program specialty plate with a diver theme.
Background:
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is currently involved in the sales of specialty license plates for the generation of revenue and the general awareness of wildlife and fisheries programs and species. Four plates directly benefit agency programs and one is a cooperative program with Texas Ducks Unlimited that benefits wetland conservation efforts.
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department offers a Whitetail Deer conservation license plate, which benefits the big game program in Texas (Wildlife Division). Each plate sold generates $30.00 in addition to the regular vehicle registration fees, with $22.00 of that amount benefiting public hunting opportunities. Sales of this plate began in FY 2002 and 11,100 had been sold as of 12/31/2005.
A Largemouth Bass conservation license plate benefits the management and production of largemouth bass fishing (Inland Fisheries Division). Fees are the same as the Whitetail Deer plate. Sales of this plate began in FY 2002 and 7,296 had been sold as of 12/31/2005.
A Bluebonnet conservation license plate benefits Texas State Parks. Fees are the same as above. Sales of this plate began in FY 2001 and 19,417 had been sold as of 12/31/2005.
A Texas Horned Lizard plate benefits Wildlife Diversity programs (Nongame Program). Fees are the same. Sales of this plate began in FY 2000 and 75,924 had been sold as of 12/31/2005.
A Ducks Unlimited (DU) plate is also sold to benefit the conservation of wetlands. TPWD serves as a pass-through agency for the collected fees which are the same as above. As a 501(c3), DU receives a check from the Wildlife Division budget each fiscal year based on calendar year sales. DU receives approximately $50,000 per year.
The number one selling plate in the state is one that benefits The Commission on the Arts. It generates approximately $500,000 annually. It was the first plate and began in 1995. Since then, many other nonprofit groups, agencies, and universities have created specialty plates. Some have sold very few. The Texas Horned Lizard plate is now second in sales, passing the Be Kind to Animals plate in the last year or so.
Discussion:
Plates sold for $25 in the earlier years of the program and TPWD received $20 from each plate. In the last two years the plates have sold for $30 and TPWD received $22. The DU plate had its own cost (higher) but all specialty plates now cost the same. The Legislature is considering increasing the fee for specialty plates to approximately $35, but the amount TPWD would benefit for each plate would not increase (i.e. remain at $22).
To set up a specialty plate, TxDOT enters into an agreement with a private vendor to produce each plate. There is an initial deposit of $15,000 to set up the sale, and the entity receiving the funding must sell 3,500 plates before the reimbursement begins.
There is a great deal of uncertainty associated with this program. Due to legislative controls that are dictated to TPWD, we as an agency do not benefit to the extent that simply looking at the revenue generated by selling plates might suggest. For example, the Texas Horned Lizard plate has generated over $1.5 million in a dedicated fund for TPWD. In FY 2005, the Legislature did not allow any monies to be used from this fund, and only $95,000 was encumbered for the Wildlife Diversity budget in FY 2006. The DU plate generates perpetual funding that has been passed to DU by TPWD. However, this amount counts toward our agency budget cap, and although the funding goes toward projects TPWD cooperates on, the monies decrease the budget flexibility in that program.
The original legislation that set up deposits to TPWD from the sale of specialty plates channels funds into account 5004 (Capital Account). This account has over $3 million currently but not all of the funds are used due to legislative restrictions. This situation was not realized until after legislative approval of the specialty plate program. As the system is set up now, the TPWD Executive Office is not interested in any new plates with monies going into the 5004 Capital Account. Any new TPWD plate production needs to be established through new legislation that will contain a rider on how funds are deposited to TPWD.
In addition, any plates that would be issued by TPWD at present without any new legislative authority could not be used by the Artificial Reef Program. This is because only monies that can be moved into the reef account, other than grant money, are donation monies. If TPWD Artificial Reef Program is producing and selling the plates, then the monies generated are considered revenue coming from the sale of a product and thus cannot be treated as donation funds. Those revenue monies cannot be used because the reef program needs appropriation authority to use them, unlike donation funds.
Another issue concerns TxDOT and how they manage the specialty plate program. TxDOT has been charged through legislation to manage and market the specialty plate program. Some officials have stated that TxDOT may increase fees beyond and above those already placed on the plates by $10-$15 to compensate for any marketing program. This could significantly impact any public interest in some plates.
Program Position and Recommendation:
The benefit to having an artificial reef specialty plate is the visibility of having several thousand plates on vehicles around the state. If the plate carries a diver theme, then even more plates may be purchased by scuba divers in general regardless if they only dive in freshwater.
The best approach to obtaining a plate would be one in which a private entity produced and marketed a plate to benefit the construction of artificial reefs in Texas. This group would need to create their own design, fund the $15,000 set-up fee, and market the sales of the plates. The design is critical to the success of the sales, and funding/effort to market the plate widely significantly affects sales volume. Return on the plate (at present) is 73 cents on each dollar spent (73%) by the end user.
To get a specialty plate established, the private entity would need to introduce a new legislative bill on behalf of the Artificial Reef Program and locate an author that will put a contingency rider on it to allow appropriated estimated revenue to go to the TPWD Artificial Reef Account and allow the spending of all revenue generated for the program.
The bottom line is that only new legislative changes could establish an Artificial Reef Program specialty plate and ensure the funds generated are provided to TPWD in a manner that authorizes the spending of those funds.
J. Dale Shively
Artificial Reef Coordinator
10 May 2006 "
________________________________________________________________
SO..........it looks like TPWD is out. It's time to take a harder look at some of the alternatives that have been proposed.
I know that some people are looking into resurrecting GREAT. As I understand it's already (still?) set up as a 501C and can accept funds for distribution to "The Cause". I'm not familiar with GREAT. I personally do not care who receives the monies, as long as they are directed to benefit offshore reef development.
I have no idea if the public at large would have reservations sending funds to an entity that they were not familiar with. I strongly believe, if the license plate program is marketed correctly, any concerns regarding the administrative side of things would be a non issue. As long as the funds get used for their intended purpose, I think that the Plate will be a big hit.... for a long time.
thanks,
Scott
