November 2015

MSA needs you! The future of your sport needs you! This is an official call to action on behalf of the future of organized snowmobiling in Michigan!

After considerable discussion and calls to our state legislators, we are sad to report that we still can’t find a legislator to introduce our new Trail Permit bill. They are all afraid of raising taxes. Let me stress, our proposal is not, would not, be a tax increase. It is a “pay to play” system, and we already do that. We support our sport, and just want to assess ourselves differently. We have always paid our own way.

Our proposal is to raise the trail permit fee for those riders who are not members of the Michigan Snowmobile Association (MSA). Perhaps a better way to put it is a new discounted trail permit for MSA members. Again, we have not been able to secure a sponsor for our bill.

You Can Make a Difference

If you think you can’t make a difference, you are wrong. When our legislation has been stalled in the past, we have asked you to contact your state legislators, and they have heard your voices. In fact after our last call to action, we were contacted by several legislative offices and asked what they could do to stop the phone calls and letters.

What they can do — is sponsor our trail permit legislation, which has already been written and waiting for a bill sponsor. Wisconsin, New Hampshire, New York, Vermont, all passed legislation to offer trail permits to the members of the state association at a discounted price.

Keep in mind that if our funding mechanism isn’t changed, the snowmobile program will suffer. The groomed trails will suffer, and suffer greatly. Who is going to suffer if changes are not made? You, the snowmobiler, is going to suffer.

MSA Members Would Receive Discounts on Trail Permits

Proposed legislation reads:

The fee for a snowmobile trail permit sticker shall be discounted $25 if all of the following apply: The purchaser is a member in good standing of the Michigan Snowmobile Association, a nonprofit corporation, with an individual or family membership. In the case of a family membership, only the purchaser of the membership is considered to be a member for purposes of this subsection. The Membership is an individual or family membership. The sticker is sold by the Michigan Snowmobile Association as the department’s agent under subsection (8). An individual shall not purchase under subsection (2) more than the following number of discounted stickers for the same 1-year period unless the individual owns a number of snowmobiles equal to or greater than the total number of discounted stickers purchased: (A) If the individual has an individual membership in the Michigan Snowmobile Association, 2 stickers. (B) If the individual has a family membership in the Michigan Snowmobile Association, 4 stickers. (4)  The Michigan Snowmobile Association may require an individual to submit snowmobile registrations and vehicle identification numbers to verify the number of snowmobiles owned by the individual for the purposes of subsection (3)

Note: Permits will be $60 each; the discounted cost to an MSA member will be $35 if purchased through MSA, a certified Department of Natural Resources (DNR) agent.

The cost of a MSA membership is $25, add that to the cost of a $35 permit and both are equal — $60.

The incentive to be an MSA member is you can buy multiple permits at the discounted rate. MSA members will also get continuous updates on safety, education, new trails or closures throughout the year.

Why We Need This Legislation

The cost of grooming equipment and maintenance continues to rise while funding for the Snowmobile Trail Improvement Program continues to remain the same, even decrease. The cost of fuel has stabilized, but the cost of equipment will continue to increase. Something has to change.

The average cost of a John Deere tractor, fully equipped with Soucy tracks now costs more than $265,000. Last month I explained that we have to  dip into next year’s equipment budget to purchase all of the equipment needed this year. We will be able to purchase seven or eight pieces of equipment with this year’s funds and two or three will be purchased out of next year’s budget, which began on Oct. 1

All of that equipment will be on our snowmobile trails for this season. However, if we don’t get this legislation approved, we will be forced to cut down on equipment purchases next year.

Equipment is also aging. Our equipment ranges from 20 years old to new this year. All of that equipment has to be maintained, repaired, and replaced. Cutting the equipment budget will hurt smooth trails in Michigan.

We also have to include expansion and improvements to our trails. Both cost money, money that is not in our snowmobile program budget.

I know that everyone is thinking — if you don’t have it in the budget, you need to cut back a little here and there. We have spent countless hours looking at where cuts can be made. We are at the point where drastic changes are going to have to be made. It is only a matter of time before the amount of miles groomed in Michigan is cut back as well as equipment purchases. Either way, our trails,  your trails will suffer.

What You Need to Do

We need all of our members to call, write, and e-mail THEIR Michigan House Representative and Senator. Tell them to support legislation to increase our trail permit fees. Included in this article you will find the name, district, and phone number of every Michigan House and Senate member. Look to the web site information included if you are not sure who your representative or senator is.

We also need you to call members of the Michigan House and Senate leadership and tell them you want to pay more for smooth trails..

House of Representatives

Committee Chairs:

Appropriations: Al Pscholka : (517) 373-1403

Natural Resources: Andrea LaFontaine  (517) 373-8931

Tourism & Outdoor Recreation: Bruce Rendon (517) 373-3817

To send U.S. Mail to members of the House, address to:
House of Representatives
P.O .Box 30014
Lansing, MI 48909-7514

If you’re not sure who your representative is, visit https://www.michigan.gov/…/house10statewide_371473_7.pdf.

Michigan House of Representative: Name, District, and Phone Numbers

*Denotes have gone snowmobiling with MSA

Banks, Brian  (D) 1st District 

Phone: (517) 373-0154

 

Talabi, Alberta Tinsley  (D)  2nd District

Phone: (517) 373-1776

 

Byrd, Wendell L.  (D) 3rd District

Phone: (517) 373-0144

 

Robinson, Rose Mary  (D) 4th District

Phone: (517) 373-1008

 

Durhal III, Fred  (D) 5th District

Phone: (517) 373-0844

 

Chang, Stephanie  (D) 6th District

Phone: (517) 373-0823

 

Garrett, LaTanya  (D) 7th District

Phone: (517) 373-2276

 

Gay-Dagnogo, Sherry  (D) 8th District

Phone: (517) 373-3815

 

Santana, Harvey  (D) 9th District

Phone: (517) 373-6990

 

Love, Leslie  (D) 10th District

Phone: (517) 373-0857

 

Plawecki, Julie  (D) 11th District

Phone: (517) 373-0849

 

Geiss, Erika  (D) 12th District

Phone: (517) 373-0852

 

Liberati, Frank  (D) 13th District

Phone: (517) 373-0845

 

Clemente, Paul  (D) 14th District

Phone: (517) 373-0140

 

Darany, George  (D) 15th District

Phone: (517) 373-0847

 

Kosowski, Robert  (D) 16th District

Phone: (517) 373-2576

 

LaVoy, Bill  (D) 17th District

Phone: (517) 373-1530

 

Roberts, Sarah  (D) 18th District

Phone: (517) 373-1180

 

Cox, Laura  (R) 19th District

Phone: (517) 373-3920

 

Heise, Kurt  (R) 20th District

Phone: (517) 373-3816

 

Pagan, Kristy  (D) 21st District

Phone: (517) 373-2575

 

Chirkun, John  (D) 22nd District

Phone: (517) 373-0854

 

Somerville, Pat  (R) 23rd District

Phone: (517) 373-0855

 

*Forlini, Anthony  (R) 24th District

Phone: (517) 373-0113

 

Yanez, Henry  (D) 25th District

Phone: (517) 373-2275

 

Townsend, Jim  (D) 26th District

Phone: (517) 373-3818

 

Wittenberg, Robert  (D) 27th District

Phone: (517) 373-0478

 

Miller, Derek E.  (D) 28th District

Phone: (517) 373-1772

 

Greimel, Tim   (D) 29th District

Phone: (517) 373-0475

 

Farrington, Jeff  (R) 30th District

Phone: (517) 373-7768

 

Lane, Marilyn  (D) 31st District

Phone: (517) 373-0159

 

*LaFontaine, Andrea  (R) 32nd District

Phone: (517) 373-8931

 

*Goike, Ken  (R) 33rd District

Phone: (517) 373-0820

 

Neeley, Sheldon A.  (D) 34th District

Phone: (517) 373-8808

 

Moss, Jeremy  (D) 35th District

Phone: (517) 373-1788

 

Lucido, Peter J.  (R) 36th District

Phone: (517) 373-0843

 

Greig, Christine  (D) 37th District

Phone: (517) 373-1793

 

Crawford, Kathy  (R) 38th District

Phone: (517) 373-0827

 

Kesto, Klint  (R) 39th District

Phone: (517) 373-1799

 

McCready, Mike  (R) 40th District

Phone: (517) 373-8670

 

Howrylak, Martin  (R) 41st District

Phone: (517) 373-1783

 

Theis, Lana  (R) 42nd District

Phone: (517) 373-1784

 

Tedder, Jim  (R) 43rd District

Phone: (517) 373-0615

 

Runestad, Jim  (R) 44th District

Phone: (517) 373-2616

 

Webber, Michael  (R) 45th District

Phone: (517) 373-1773

 

Jacobsen, Bradford  (R) 46th District

Phone: (517) 373-1798

 

Vaupel, Hank  (R) 47th District

Phone: (517) 373-8835

 

Faris, Pam  (D)  48th District

Phone: (517) 373-7557

 

Phelps, Phil  (D) 49th District

Phone: (517) 373-7515

 

Smiley, Charles  (D) 50th District

Phone: (517) 373-3906

 

Graves, Joseph  (R) 51st District

Phone: (517) 373-1780

 

Driskell, Gretchen  (D) 52nd District

Phone: (517) 373-0828

 

Irwin, Jeff  (D) 53rd Disrict

Phone: (517) 373-2577

 

Rutledge, David  (D) 54th District

Phone: (517) 373-1771

 

Zemke, Adam  (D) 55th District

Phone: (517) 373-1792

 

Sheppard, Jason M.  (R) 56th District

Phone: (517) 373-2617

 

Jenkins, Nancy  (R) 57th District

Phone: (517) 373-1706

 

Leutheuser, Eric  (R) 58th District

Phone: (517) 373-1794

 

Miller, Aaron  (R) 59th District

Phone: (517) 373-0832

 

Hoadley, Jon  (D) 60th District

Phone: (517) 373-1785

 

Iden, Brandt  (R) 61st District

Phone: (517) 373-1774

 

Bizon, John  (R) 62nd District

Phone: (517) 373-0555

 

Maturen, David C.  (R) 63rd District

Phone: (517) 373-1787

 

Poleski, Earl  (R) 64th District

Phone: (517) 373-1795

 

Roberts, Brett  (R) 65th District

Phone: (517) 373-1775

 

*Nesbitt, Aric  (R) 66th District

Phone: (517) 373-0839

 

Cochran, Tom  (D) 67th District

Phone: (517) 373-0587

 

Schor, Andy  (D) 68th District

Phone: (517) 373-0826

 

Singh, Sam  (D) 69th District

Phone: (517) 373-1786

 

*Outman, Rick  (R) 70th District

Phone: (517) 373-0834

 

Barrett, Tom  (R) 71st District

Phone: (517) 373-0853

 

*Yonker, Ken  (R) 72nd District

Phone: (517) 373-0840

 

Afendoulis, Chris  (R) 73rd District

Phone: (517) 373-0218

 

VerHeulen, Rob  (R) 74th District

Phone: (517) 373-8900

 

Brinks, Winnie  (D) 76th District

Phone: (517) 373-0822

 

Hooker, Tom  (R) 77th District

Phone: (517) 373-2277

 

Pagel, Dave  (R) 78th District

Phone: (517) 373-1796

 

Pscholka, Al  (R) 79th District

Phone: (517) 373-1403

 

Lauwers, Dan  (R) 81st District

Phone: (517) 373-1790

 

Muxlow, Paul  (R) 83rd District

Phone: (517) 373-0835

 

Canfield, Edward  (R) 84th District

Phone: (517) 373-0476

 

*Glardon, Ben  (R) 85th District

Phone: (517) 373-0841

 

*Lyons, Lisa Posthumus  (R) 86th District

Phone: (517) 373-0846

 

Callton, Mike  (R) 87th District

Phone: (517) 373-0842

 

*Victory, Roger  (R)  88th District

Phone: (517) 373-1830

 

Price, Amanda  (R) 89th District

Phone: (517) 373-0838

 

Garcia, Daniela  (R) 90th District

Phone: (517) 373-0830

 

*Hughes, Holly  (R) 91st District

Phone: (517) 373-3437

 

Hovey-Wright, Marcia  (D) 92nd District

Phone: (517) 373-2646

 

*Leonard, Tom  (R) 93rd District

Phone: (517) 373-1778

 

*Kelly, Tim  (R) 94th District

Phone: (517) 373-0837

 

Guerra, Vanessa  (D) 95th District

Phone: (517) 373-0152

 

Brunner, Charles  (D) 96th District

Phone: (517) 373-0158

 

Johnson, Joel  (R) 97th District

Phone: (517) 373-8962

 

Glenn, Gary  (R) 98th District

Phone: (517) 373-1791

 

*Cotter, Kevin  (R) 99th District

Phone: (517) 373-1789

 

*Bumstead, Jon  (R) 100th District

Phone: (517) 373-7317

 

Franz, Ray  (R) 101st District

Phone: (517) 373-0825

 

*Potvin, Phil  (R) 102nd District

Phone: (517) 373-1747

 

*Rendon, Bruce  (R) 103rd District

Phone: (517) 373-3817

 

Inman, Larry C.  (R) 104th District

Phone: (517) 373-1766

 

Cole, Triston  (R) 105th District

Phone: (517) 373-0829

 

*Pettalia, Peter  (R) 106th District

Phone: (517) 373-0833

 

*Chatfield, Lee  (R) 107th District

Phone: (517) 373-2629

 

McBroom, Ed  (R)108th District

Phone: (517) 373-0156

 

Kivela, John  (D) 109th District

Phone: (517) 373-0498

 

Dianda, Scott  (D) 110th District

Phone: (517) 373-0850

 

To e-mail your House of Representative, visit

http://www.house.mi.gov/mhrpublic/frmRepList.aspx and click on your representative.

 

State Senators

 

Senate Committee Chairs:

Appropriations: Dave Hildenbrand (517) 373-1801

Natural Resources: Tom Casperson (517) 373-7840

 Outdoor Recreation & Tourism: Goeff Hansen (517) 373-1635

To send U.S. Mail to members of the Senate, address to:

Michigan Senate

PO Box 30036

Lansing, MI 48909-7536

If you’re not sure who your senator is, visit http://www.senate.michigan.gov/2011_maps/Statewide.pdf.

Michigan Senate: Name, District, and Phone Numbers

*Denotes have gone snowmobiling with MSA

 

Ananich, Jim (D) District 27

Phone: (517) 373-0142

 

Bieda, Steven (D) District 9

Phone: (517) 373-8360

 

Booher, Darwin L. (R) District 35 Phone: (517) 373-1725

 

Brandenburg, Jack (R) District  8  Phone: (517) 373-7670

 

*Casperson, Tom (R) District 38

Phone: (517) 373-7840

 

Colbeck, Patrick (R) District 7

Phone: (517) 373-7350

 

Emmons, Judy K. (R) District 33

Phone: (517) 373-3760

 

*Green, Mike (R) District 31 Phone: (517) 373-1777

 

Gregory, Vincent (D) District 11 Phone: (517) 373-7888

 

Hansen, Goeff (R) District 34 Phone: (517) 373-1635

 

Hertel Jr., Curtis (D) District 23

Phone: (517) 373-1734

 

*Hildenbrand, Dave (R) District 29 Phone: (517) 373-1801

 

Hood III, Morris W. (D) District 3 Phone: (517) 373-0990

 

Hopgood, Hoon-Yung (D) District 6 Phone: (517) 373-7800

 

*Horn, Ken (R) District  32    Phone: (517) 373-1760

 

Hune, Joe (R) District 22

Phone: (517) 373-2420

 

Johnson, Bert (D) District  2 Phone: (517) 373-7748

 

Jones, Rick (R) District 24   Phone: (517) 373-3447

 

Knezek, David (D) District 5 Phone: (517) 373-0994

 

*Knollenberg, Marty (R) District  13

Phone: (517) 373-2523

 

*Kowall, Mike (R) District 15

Phone: (517) 373-1758

 

MacGregor, Peter (R) District  28 Phone: (517) 373-0797

 

Marleau, Jim (R) District 12 Phone: (517) 373-2417

 

*Meekhof, Arlan B. (R) District  30 Phone: (517) 373-6920

 

*Nofs, Mike (R) District  19

Phone: (517) 373-2426

 

O’Brien, Margaret (R) District  20

Phone: (517) 373-5100

 

*Pavlov, Phil (R) District  25

Phone: (517) 373-7708

 

Proos, John (R) District  21

Phone: (517) 373-6960

 

Robertson, David B (R) District  14

Phone: (517) 373-1636

 

Rocca, Tory (R) District 10

Phone: (517) 373-7315

 

*Schmidt, Wayne A. (R) District 37

Phone: (517) 373-2413