Sunday afternoon, Marc Miller, Director of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, put up a simple post on his Facebook Page. No words, just a link to an article by Les Winkeler of The Southern.
Les Winkeler does an excellent job of summarizing Millers comments that were given February 2nd during a two-hour public meeting at John A. Logan College in Carterville, Illinois.
Anyone that has ever used an Illinois State Park for any reason needs to read this:
Director says IDNR needs help after budget halved
Anglers and hunters have been well aware of IDNR budget cuts over the years. We have seen the budget cuts impact what we like to do. I’m not sure those that don’t fish and hunt are aware of how these budget cuts will impact them. I think Millers comments in the article make that pretty clear.
Last week I reposted something that first appeared on my blog in August of 2011, A Walk in the Park a Source of Revenue for the IDNR.
In the six months since I wrote that, apparently things have got worse. As I said in my repost, once the budget cuts start impacting more than just anglers and hunters, maybe there will be more outrage, more of an uproar to do something about it. I like the quote by Miller that ended the article by Les:
Our DNR employees can work themselves ragged. Unless citizens will come through for the agency and work for all the things we do, we’re never going to get anywhere.
We need to have resources. The only way that is going to happen is if people like you get engaged and go out and do something about it.
I think that time has arrived and I don’t think he was only addressing anglers and hunters.
