Florida's OHV Trust Fund Raided!

FLORIDA'S OHV TRUST FUND RAIDED!
August 24th, 2009

Looks like the politicians are at it again, and no state seems to be immune. The latest issue of "AMA's News and Notes" contained a blurb we wanted to forward to our members in Florida. Please read and take the requested action.

Florida: Recently the Florida OHV (Off Highway Vehicle) Advisory Committee was notified that the Florida legislature had "swept" $2.37 million from the state's OHV Trust Fund in 2009. Counting the $2 million that was withdrawn from the trust fund by legislative fiat in 2008, a total of $4.37 million has been raided from the trust fund in just two years. The trust fund, which was established by the T. Mark Schmidt Off-Highway Vehicle Safety and Recreation Act of 2002, is funded by a title fee on off-highway vehicles and is supposed to be used to promote OHV recreation and safety.

The Florida Trail Riders are encouraging all of Florida's OHV enthusiasts to contact their state legislators and demand that the money be restored to the OHV trust fund. For more information visit http://www.floridatrailriders.org.

For assistance identifying or contacting your state legislators visit the "Rights" page of http://www.AmericanMotorcyclist.com, click on "Issues & Legislation" and enter your zip code in the "Find Your Officials" box.

Please pass this important alert on to your friends and family and please ask them take action as well.

Thanks in advance for your involvement,
Ric Foster
Public Lands Department Manager
BlueRibbon Coalition
208-237-1008 ext 107

is next?

That's a pittance compared to what we were taken for here in California.

"They" borrowed $50 million from our "Green Sticker" fund earlier this decade which has yet to be paid back!

“They” borrowed $90 million more (90%) a few months ago and at the same time raided our OHMVR fund to the tune of $20 million, all interest free with a supposed pay back within two years, just like the former $50 million stolen earlier in the decade.

"They" also jacked our green/red sticker fee from $50 to $52 on January 1, 2009. This increase comes one year after the doubling of the green/red sticker fee from $25 to $50.

Watch YOUR "Public Servants" if your State begins to develop budget issues!!!!!!

DAMN!!!!

Bigg Bubba wrote:

DAMN!!!!

Indeed!

This was all in an attempt to "balance" OUR screwed up budget and "THEY'LL" be back at it in five months . . . AGAIN! Only this time, "they've" painted themselves and US into a corner since every cent has been raped from every source "THEY" could find.

Oh, "THEY" also closed 1/3 of OUR State Parks too in an ill fated effort to fix "THEIR" mis-management of OUR tax dollars!!!!!!

Watch your backs and seriously consider joining a National Organization of your choice who will help you fight this crap . . .

https://southernsxsriders.forumakers.com/general-discussion-info-f5/the-blueribbon-coalition-announces-its-new-member-incentive-program-t4520.htm

This is even more critical if you live in the areas highlighted here . . .

https://southernsxsriders.forumakers.com/general-discussion-info-f5/move-to-re-wild-50-of-north-america-to-pre-columbia-times-t4721.htm

Unbelievable!!!!

Big-R wrote:

Unbelievable!!!!

Whats so unbelievable? They have raided Social Security for over 60 years.

wvyankee2 wrote:

Big-R wrote:

Unbelievable!!!!

Whats so unbelievable? They have raided Social Security for over 60 years.

True, point well made and taken!

Fact of the matter is . . . that many of you will never receive any Social Security Benefits as a result . . . do you want your recreational opportunities ruined in the same manner?

what blows my mind is all that money and here in fort myers,FL there isn't a legal place to trail ride anywere(whats the point of having a fund and taking my 35-50bucks everytime I buy a bike if they don't give us anywere to ride?), closest place is 3-4 hours for me and that doesn't even compare to the riding in the mountains of Tenn. or WV. etc.... from what I have been told I believe we are second or third to California in offroad vehicle sales in the country and probably have the least amount of places to ride.

r6realtor wrote:

what blows my mind is all that money and here in fort myers,FL there isn't a legal place to trail ride anywere(whats the point of having a fund and taking my 35-50bucks everytime I buy a bike if they don't give us anywere to ride?), closest place is 3-4 hours for me and that doesn't even compare to the riding in the mountains of Tenn. or WV. etc.... from what I have been told I believe we are second or third to California in offroad vehicle sales in the country and probably have the least amount of places to ride.

That stinks!

I believe Rhode Island has you beat with only 5, yes five acres of National Park Land to ride in!!!

Read more here . . . http://www.rhinoforums.net/public-lands-advocacy/22626-image-having-only-five-acres-national-park-land.html

wow, that really sucks, it's sounds like private owners are atleast letting them ride there properties which is still probably not much but you never know??? The problem down here is everyone is so sue happy property owners can't risk letting people ride anymore, and for some god awful reason, we seem to have more bad apples down here than any other state, I think we have lost every single riding area because of some JERK that is destroying the land, throwing trash all over, or riding wheelies on the street next to the trail crashing into cars or houses and this seems to be a huge problem to >>> these boys down here don't trail ride they ride for 2minutes tops stop drink 5 beers then ride for 2 minutes stop drink 7 more beers and so on every stop is longer with more beer involved. We don't have trails here we have mud holes with drunk idiots driving through them! So I guess thats why the state doesn't want to open new riding areas, people see that whole mess and think thats what the majority wants, I want trials that go for days that I can get lost in!!

r6realtor wrote:

wow, that really sucks, it's sounds like private owners are atleast letting them ride there properties which is still probably not much but you never know??? The problem down here is everyone is so sue happy property owners can't risk letting people ride anymore, and for some god awful reason, we seem to have more bad apples down here than any other state, I think we have lost every single riding area because of some JERK that is destroying the land, throwing trash all over, or riding wheelies on the street next to the trail crashing into cars or houses and this seems to be a huge problem to >>> these boys down here don't trail ride they ride for 2minutes tops stop drink 5 beers then ride for 2 minutes stop drink 7 more beers and so on every stop is longer with more beer involved. We don't have trails here we have mud holes with drunk idiots driving through them! So I guess thats why the state doesn't want to open new riding areas, people see that whole mess and think thats what the majority wants, I want trials that go for days that I can get lost in!!

Heck, I have more acres on my property to ride than an entire State makes available, what's wrong with that picture!!! Nice Rhino BTW, I also have a 2008 Hunter Edition but it's just a 450 which I use to work my property.

Yes, it is apparently the idiots you reference that have caused the lack of support for more riding areas. We have them too and it's a constant battle to keep trails open though we have more than the County's share.

In my area we had a group of "Outlaw" OHV folks who took over the Rubicon Trail a decade or more ago. They blasted or winched boulders into areas to make them impassible for all but the MOST capable "rock crawler", pushed disabled vehicles off cliffs, hung rigs deemed "less capable" from trees and generally ruined the OHV experience for folks who didn't "fit" their model.

A man I know almost single handedly turned the whole thing around and enjoined them in the "good fight", anything is possible if only folks would expend the effort required.

Here's a little blurb about the folks creating the problems.

"Motorized outlaw and idiot behavior that endangers our sport must come to an end. Recreationists must start volunteer trail patrols and exert peer pressure to curtail the idiot factor that will get our trails shut down. We must support law enforcement and encourage it on our trails and back country.

The outlaws in this case are getting off the road where they don't belong, doing damage to recognized important resources, and ignoring the future of our sport. In Utah there are places where off road/trail travel is significant enough to cause the SUWA folks to rise up in arms. Even BLM folks see too much of it. It is ruining the reputation of us law-abiding riders to have outlaws getting off the road/trail. Unfortunately, our image as a whole is being judged by the actions of a few.

So yes, we need to police ourselves. If you drive/ride by a violation of responsible recreation principles, or worse yet, see a blatant Wilderness violation, stop and do something about it. Tell the person involved what they're doing and how it impacts the rest of us. Ask them to stop. If they refuse or tell you to pound sand, then take their license number (and maybe a picture) and report them to the nearest law enforcement official. Report them to the folks who have adopted your trail (such as the Friends of the Rubicon for that trail).

If you witness such an extreme event as to cause you to take this course of action and want your "case" to hold up in court, your evidence should include witness statements, license numbers, and photos.

Talk to your local Sheriff if you're confused about this step. But at least gather the data and give it to someone who can follow up. Federal law enforcement officers do not have to actually see a crime to pursue justice, most County Sheriffs and Highway Patrol officers do have to witness the event first hand."

These are merely excerpts, read more here . . .

http://www.delalbright.com/Articles/outlaws.htm

Quote :

They blasted or winched boulders into areas to make them impassible for all but the MOST capable "rock crawler", pushed disabled vehicles off cliffs, hung rigs deemed "less capable" from trees and generally ruined the OHV experience for folks who didn't "fit" their model.

This sounds more like the enviroMENTAList, they used to tie fishing line from tree to tree years ago in this place thats been since shut down(imagine even going 30mph into that! there were decapitations!), they also have dug huge holes for us to crash in and kill ourselves, but this is the way that they feel there doing there part in saving the earth, mean while 50 more golf course communities are put in and all that fertilizer/pestisides seeps into the rivers, lakes and eventually to the gulf of mexico but they don't say a word to them???
We want to share the woods with the wildlife, go around the trees and be underneath them not run them over knock them down and put a golf couse in with a parking lot attached to a 2000 home community and shoot all the hogs because they tare up the golf course. Rant off but none the less just another hurdle to jump besides some of the idiots in our own sport.

r6realtor wrote:

Quote :

They blasted or winched boulders into areas to make them impassible for all but the MOST capable "rock crawler", pushed disabled vehicles off cliffs, hung rigs deemed "less capable" from trees and generally ruined the OHV experience for folks who didn't "fit" their model.

This sounds more like the enviroMENTAList, they used to tie fishing line from tree to tree years ago in this place thats been since shut down(imagine even going 30mph into that! there were decapitations!), they also have dug huge holes for us to crash in and kill ourselves, but this is the way that they feel there doing there part in saving the earth, mean while 50 more golf course communities are put in and all that fertilizer/pestisides seeps into the rivers, lakes and eventually to the gulf of mexico but they don't say a word to them???
We want to share the woods with the wildlife, go around the trees and be underneath them not run them over knock them down and put a golf couse in with a parking lot attached to a 2000 home community and shoot all the hogs because they tare up the golf course. Rant off but none the less just another hurdle to jump besides some of the idiots in our own sport.

Yup, I recently wrote a little ditty about the traps they set to hurt OHV folks relating to things going on in Utah. If they'll torch a Hummer dealership's entire lot of vehicles they are capable of anything.

I couldn't agree with you more about State/National priorities and where we OHV folks fit in the whole picture.

All I can suggest is that more of us become involved in the Access Fight!!!!!!!

Join a National Organization who fights for access to OUR Public Lands folks!!!

My choice eight years ago was the BlueRibbon Coalition . . . http://www.sharetrails.org