Montana Wildlife Federation Executive Director Frank Szollosi issued the following statement on Gov. Gianforte’s State of the State address:
MWF appreciates working with Governor Greg Gianforte and Fish, Wildlife and Parks Director Hank Worsech on the Montana Comeback. Montana hunters and anglers support the HEART Fund and other efforts that increase the resilience of wildlife, habitat and our fellow Montanans.
MWF also appreciates the Governor’s emphasis on increasing Montana’s competitive edge in the region. To that end, conservation funding is economic development. Montana’s $7 billion outdoor recreation economy supports good jobs & businesses. Let’s invest in it together.
“We call on the Governor to increase public access through the numerous measures like Habitat Montana that have broad support among Montanans and are fully paid for by hunters,” said Frank Szollosi, MWF executive director. “We share his goal of promoting economic development, and our outdoor recreation economy is a big part of that.
“That’s also why we want to see the will of voters, expressed through I 190 last fall, honored by spending the other half of the increased tax dollars from recreational marijuana spent as the people clearly stated they wanted it spent – on our state parks, wildlife and on efforts to preserve our working farms and ranches to benefit longtime Montana agricultural families, hunters, anglers and all Montanans who value open space, wildlife habitat and access.”
