A CALL FOR ACTION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[littleguy]

A call for Action from NYSSA and your new President Mike Fischer:

You already are painfully aware that the Budget Director has swept $1,000,000.00 from the Snowmobile Trail fund. Through our lobbyists in Albany, we were able to find out what had happened.

On March 7th, acting in accordance with Section 15 of Part T of Chapter 57 of the Laws of 2007, the Director of the Budget directed the State Comptroller’s office to transfer $100 million in available fund balances in Miscellaneous Special Revenue accounts to the state’s General Fund. The decision to transfer these funds was based on the state’s worsening financial condition, the pending Executive Budget (then under review by the Legislature), and an analysis of the projected cash flows for each account. Over 50 different Special Revenue accounts were affected, across many different agencies and programs. As part of this transfer of these funds, $1 million was transferred from the Snowmobile Trail Development and Management Account (339-41). While Parks strongly recommended to the Division of the Budget that this action not be taken, this transfer was made pursuant to the law and within the authority of the state Budget Director.

As President of NYSSA, I have sent a letter to the Governor strongly opposing this sweep of the $1 million from the trail fund and asked him to restore these funds. I also have already called upon all our club presidents and asked them to send letters to their respective Senators and Assemblymen. We at NYSSA have been working with our lobbyists to take whatever action necessary to oppose this unwarranted sweep of our money from the trail fund and to reach out to the Legislature and ask for their help to correct this intolerable situation.

I am calling on all of you, our club members and your families, to send a letter to the Governor, and to your respective Senator and Assemblyman asking their help in getting our $1 million restored to the Snowmobile Trail Fund. We are providing all of you with the attached model letters in order to ensure a clear, consistent, and resolute message. Please use the attached Governor, Senate and Assembly model letters.

We ask that you fax, email or mail your letters to the Governor and your respective Senator and Assemblyman as soon as possible. We must act quickly to let them know about our opposition to this unwarranted action by the Budget Director. It is preferable if you would fax or email the letters.

You can fax the Governor at: (518) 474-1513 or email him by going to this address http://161.11.121.121/govemail Fill out the required information then copy and paste your letter into the box marked Your Comments. If you cannot fax or email then mail you letter to the Governor by using the address provided on the model letter.

For the Senate and Assembly, you can get the fax numbers or emails by going to the Senate and Assembly sites: (Copy and Paste Link into your Browser)
http://www.senate.state.ny.us/senatehomepage.nsf/senators?OpenForm
http://assembly.state.ny.us/mem/

In addition to the fax numbers or emails, you can use these sites to determine who your Senator or Assemblyman is by using the zip code look-up device.

Please act quickly and send your letters by fax, email or mail. Thanks for your attention to this most pressing issue facing NYSSA and the clubs.

Letter to Governor
http://www.dragofspeculator.com/forms/MemberLetterDOBSweepGovernor.doc
Letter to your Senator
http://www.dragofspeculator.com/forms/MemberLetterDOBSweepSenate.doc
Letter to you Assembly member
http://www.dragofspeculator.com/forms/MemberLetterDOBSweepAssembly.doc

[grizzlyrider]

Where was this when they raped over 12 mill from the atv fund 2 years ago. Not many snowmobilers willing to lend a hand then. There are a few but not many. Good luck! We got a big "suck it up mud flinger" and the econ. wasn't as bad then as it is now. I've sent all types of faxes and letters to every e-mail account/fax number/address I could find. Even if they weren't from NY, I sent it to every one. Sometimes all three ways if I could find it. Their fax and e-mail and US postal.  GOOD LUCK!!

[Snotime]

You forgetting this is a snowmobile site as well? Lets also not forget that probably 75% of snowmobilers are ATVer's also. I'll guarantee you there were many snowmobilers affected by the 12 million grab that tried to fight the cause.

[grizzlyrider]

You forgetting this is a snowmobile site as well? Lets also not forget that probably 75% of snowmobilers are ATVer's also. I'll guarantee you there were many snowmobilers affected by the 12 million grab that tried to fight the cause

Not forgetting just making a statement. I saw it was posted in the snowmobile section. Just wanted to wish good luck since we had no luck either. Snowmobilers may have been affected by the 12mill grab..........but only if they also ride ATV. That money was taken directly out of the ATV fund. Most of which was given to local snowmobile clubs to and I quote from the papper " for the maintenance and creation of new trails" This particular action caused a lot of bad blood between the people who just ATV and the ones who just snowmobile. I know we do have support from some snowmobilers, because some also ride ATVs, actually a few that don't as well. But there are quite a few who don't share that thought. When the state takes trails away from us, they think, good finally them mud flinging bandits will be gone. Not realizing that soon their trails will start to be taken away as well. Just wish there was a better combined front on the issues. They affect both groups in the long run. Like you have posted before look at Canada. Their trails run side by side.....even in the dead of winter. There is no reason why both groups can't join forces in the fight. Snowmobilers have more pull in albany at this point anyhow.

 That's it.....just was hoping you had better luck than we did. At least if you do it looks good for us in the future.

[Phantom]

Not forgetting just making a statement. I saw it was posted in the snowmobile section. Just wanted to wish good luck since we had no luck either. Snowmobilers may have been affected by the 12mill grab..........but only if they also ride ATV. That money was taken directly out of the ATV fund. Most of which was given to local snowmobile clubs to and I quote from the papper " for the maintenance and creation of new trails" This particular action caused a lot of bad blood between the people who just ATV and the ones who just snowmobile. I know we do have support from some snowmobilers, because some also ride ATVs, actually a few that don't as well. But there are quite a few who don't share that thought. When the state takes trails away from us, they think, good finally them mud flinging bandits will be gone. Not realizing that soon their trails will start to be taken away as well. Just wish there was a better combined front on the issues. They affect both groups in the long run. Like you have posted before look at Canada. Their trails run side by side.....even in the dead of winter. There is no reason why both groups can't join forces in the fight. Snowmobilers have more pull in albany at this point anyhow.

 That's it.....just was hoping you had better luck than we did. At least if you do it looks good for us in the future.

Correct me if I am wrong but aren't trail passes in Canada something on the order of $200.00 a year?  Does everyone want to pay $200?
Everyone complained when the ATV registration went to $45.00. Granted there were no funded ATV trails but you gotta start somewhere.
You can't expect to start paying $45-$200 today and have trails tomorrow. It has taken the snowmobile clubs 30+ years to get where they are with volunteer work. And we're still fighting to keep the trails we have today. It sounds like ATV riders expect someone to give them a trail system all ready to go once they pay the registration fee.

As far as using the perimeters of fields go... you me and most of the members here woulkd respect the landowners property but you know damn well unless there is a ten foot razor wire fence along the field some idiot is going to cross the field and piss the farmers off getting the trail closed. I'd even go as far as someone cutting the fence to take the shortcut.

[grizzlyrider]

Correct me if I am wrong but aren't trail passes in Canada something on the order of $200.00 a year?  Does everyone want to pay $200?
Everyone complained when the ATV registration went to $45.00. Granted there were no funded ATV trails but you gotta start somewhere.
You can't expect to start paying $45-$200 today and have trails tomorrow. It has taken the snowmobile clubs 30+ years to get where they are with volunteer work. And we're still fighting to keep the trails we have today

Well I don't know the cost of the Canadian passes, but I would surely pay $200 a year to ride thousands of miles of trails. As far as every one complaining about the $45 a year, Thats because they have already been paying for over 30 years and STILL have not one mile of state trail, That's where the problem comes in. So as far as wanting something overnight that is so far from the truth, they should have been making some for the past 30 years. And when the price did go up to $45 they emediatly took trails out of the budget before we were even able to register anyhow. At this point in time, having trails the next day is way within the rehlm of possibility. There are so many trails within the wooded state land and re-forestation land That the DEC uses every day. We arn't asking for 30,000 miles of trails overnight, just some over the past 30 years would be nice. Again, not asking to ride in every single state park just some. a few accross the state would be fine. There is enough existing trail to have at least 30-60 miles of trail per state park and that's about how much most people are riding in a day anyhow. That would be a great start. Then they could jack up the fees and people wouldn't be so pissed.

As far as using the perimeters of fields go... you me and most of the members here woulkd respect the landowners property but you know damn well unless there is a ten foot razor wire fence along the field some idiot is going to cross the field and piss the farmers off getting the trail closed.

That I agree. That's why they need someplace else to ride where that is not a possability for them. There is always going to be a few bad apples. If there weren't we wouldn't need cops. Some people are just !@#$%^&s.

Again....not trying to split the two groups, I don't ride a sled but support the people who do. I just think that we all need to work together for the same cause. There would be a bigger voice in Albany and the combined money would allow them to do more. Grease more wheels so to speek. I wouldn't want to see them lose the trails like we have, and you can't tell me there are no rouge sled riders. I've seen them......it happens in every sport. That can't be helped.

[skippydoo]

BS with the higher cost, I say change the laws and let wheelers be classified as commercial like any outher motor vehicle. just like a enduro or dune buggy. I feel if people really want to change something Change the registration law just like the way the SxS law got amened one day before the biggest ridding event happened.If ya really want to fight for something fight to kept the cost down, the dam state gets most of my hard earned money now.

[Snotime]

Well I don't know the cost of the Canadian passes, but I would surely pay $200 a year to ride thousands of miles of trails.

As far as every one complaining about the $45 a year, Thats because they have already been paying for over 30 years and STILL have not one mile of state trail, That's where the problem comes in. So as far as wanting something overnight that is so far from the truth, they should have been making some for the past 30 years.

And when the price did go up to $45 they emediatly took trails out of the budget before we were even able to register anyhow. At this point in time, having trails the next day is way within the rehlm of possibility. There are so many trails within the wooded state land and re-forestation land That the DEC uses every day. We arn't asking for 30,000 miles of trails overnight, just some over the past 30 years would be nice. Again, not asking to ride in every single state park just some. a few accross the state would be fine. There is enough existing trail to have at least 30-60 miles of trail per state park and that's about how much most people are riding in a day anyhow. That would be a great start. Then they could jack up the fees and people wouldn't be so pissed.
That I agree. That's why they need someplace else to ride where that is not a possability for them. There is always going to be a few bad apples. If there weren't we wouldn't need cops. Some people are just !@#$%^&s.

Again....not trying to split the two groups, I don't ride a sled but support the people who do. I just think that we all need to work together for the same cause. There would be a bigger voice in Albany and the combined money would allow them to do more. Grease more wheels so to speek. I wouldn't want to see them lose the trails like we have, and you can't tell me there are no rouge sled riders. I've seen them......it happens in every sport. That can't be helped.

Who is "they"? If you are referring to "they" as in the state employees I say good luck. "They" did not lift one finger to put in any snowmobile trails. Volunteers built these trails. To gain access to any state land for a snowmobile trail is a long drawn out process just to get permission to cut a trail through. Then, once you have permission, the volunteers come into play. NYS does not lift a finger to put in these trails we have been building for the last 30+ years. They were all built by club members who DO NOT get paid one penny for their time. If the ATV'ers wanted a similar system they should have embarked on this project 30 years ago like the snowmobilers did. Now it has come to a time where the ATV'ers are losing access and seeing they need to do this and they are starting to get it done. Don't think it's just ATV'ers being discriminated against either. The snowmobilers as well have a tough time getting any new access to state land as well. I wanted to use a very short section to bypass a little road riding this past season and was turned down. This section wasn't even a quarter mile long and already had a trail through it. My reply from the state was no new snowmobile trails can be established until the land management planning for region 6 is complete. I asked when that would be and his reply was "Probably in 3-6 years and then you still may not be able to use it". The only reason we have the trails we do now is because we started building them over 30 years ago when the laws weren't so tough on land access. It gave the snowmobilers a little more clout (all be it very little more) because we already had the system in place when access laws started changing. I'm just as guilty as anyone else in the ATV group because I always assumed the trails would always be open. Back when I first started riding ATV's in the 70's no one anticipated the state going green like it is now. NYSSA was formed in 1975 before any of this crap began. Not really because of these land access problems but to give the snowmobilers a governing body in NYS. NYSORVA was formed in 1993. By then the crap had already started and it made it much tougher to gain the access the snowmobilers did. Had people jumped on the band wagon in the early years of ATV'ing I'm sure there would be a better system in place. The ATV groups are doing a great job in getting new access to areas to ride but no one but you can build an ATV trail system now. If you don't have the time to help build trails, get land access, or fight the government on the issues then you have no one to blame other than yourself. The state will never do it for you.

[Phantom]

Well said Vince! My reply would have been similar but since I'm on the job wth the handheld I don't want to spend 1/2 hour typing on 1//4 inch keys

[krabidKVF650]

BS with the higher cost, I say change the laws and let wheelers be classified as commercial like any outher motor vehicle. just like a enduro or dune buggy. I feel if people really want to change something Change the registration law just like the way the SxS law got amened one day before the biggest ridding event happened.If ya really want to fight for something fight to kept the cost down, the dam state gets most of my hard earned money now.

skippydoo

  If you are referring to the SxSs being allowed to go on the Snirt Run this year you are mistaken. I know personally of 25 people that were told we had the OK the ride SxSs in the Snirt Run this year and we did a whole 1.4 miles before we got turned around and sent back to the Motel where we spent thousands of $ to stay the weekend to be able to ride. The NYS Police officer told us to park them and not ride or be ticketed and towed at our expense. All this after we were assured we were OKed to ride the Snirt Run by Senator Griffo. I know its going to be a long time, if ever, before the SxSs visit Tug-Hill again.
 

[skippydoo]

skippydoo

  If you are referring to the SxSs being allowed to go on the Snirt Run this year you are mistaken. I know personally of 25 people that were told we had the OK the ride SxSs in the Snirt Run this year and we did a whole 1.4 miles before we got turned around and sent back to the Motel where we spent thousands of $ to stay the weekend to be able to ride. The NYS Police officer told us to park them and not ride or be ticketed and towed at our expense. All this after we were assured we were OKed to ride the Snirt Run by Senator Griffo. I know its going to be a long time, if ever, before the SxSs visit Tug-Hill again.
 

What I meant was how the state so conveniently amended the ATV law up to 1500lbs for registration and in forced it almost the same day,witch left owners like yourself no time to get it registered for the ride.So make it commercial like a dune buggy they weight in at 1500 or more #, and they are also on or off Rd.

[krabidKVF650]

What I meant was how the state so conveniently amended the ATV law up to 1500lbs for registration and in forced it almost the same day,witch left owners like yourself no time to get it registered for the ride.So make it commercial like a dune buggy they weight in at 1500 or more #, and they are also on or off Rd.

So the law has been amended???? That's great! I'll have to pass that info on to the "Buggy Bunch" that they can now register their buggies. First I heard that. I know they have been trying to raise the weight since last year but hadn't heard they did it yet.

[grizzlyrider]

The state will never do it for you

The ATV groups are doing a great job in getting new access to areas to ride but no one but you can build an ATV trail system now. If you don't have the time to help build trails, get land access,

Taking my time to build a trail is not the issue, I do that now on local land. But you can't just go cutting a trail with no permision and that is where the state comes in. They need to give the ok, and I don't mean just hand it over it's not like we aren't fighting for it, but untill then no matter how many people are willing to build the trails, it's not going to happen. If they gave the ok on some land I don't think you would have a problem at all getting people to help build a trail.

[Snotime]

Taking my time to build a trail is not the issue, I do that now on local land. But you can't just go cutting a trail with no permision and that is where the state comes in. They need to give the ok, and I don't mean just hand it over it's not like we aren't fighting for it, but untill then no matter how many people are willing to build the trails, it's not going to happen. If they gave the ok on some land I don't think you would have a problem at all getting people to help build a trail.

You're not getting my point! It's to late, it's over, it ain't gonna happen!!! This should have been organized a long, long time ago. You can't throw stones at the snowmobilers because they had their sh!t together 30+ years ago. Until the next American revolution, ATV's will never be allowed on state land. The only option now is to beg and plead for land access in private areas. Just like the snowmobilers have done for over 30 years and are still doing to this very day. And if you don't think you will have a problem getting help to build these trails, ask the 700 of the 720 members of our snowmobile club why they never show up to help.

[Phantom]

Taking my time to build a trail is not the issue, I do that now on local land. But you can't just go cutting a trail with no permision and that is where the state comes in. They need to give the ok, and I don't mean just hand it over it's not like we aren't fighting for it, but untill then no matter how many people are willing to build the trails, it's not going to happen. If they gave the ok on some land I don't think you would have a problem at all getting people to help build a trail.

You can't rely on the state for ALL the land... that would have you riding trails in circles with no way to connect one section to another. You need to get out and bang on doors and ask landowners for permission to use their land for a trail and go to towns and ask them to open roads (yes even seasoonals need permission to be used.

Oh... and then there is insurance for the state land, private land and town roads. The money for this has to come from somewhere thats where NYSORVA and the clubs come in. The more people that join clubs and NYSORVA and become active the faster all this can happen.

I imagine the NYSORVA meeting is still on for the night after the May 3rd ride. Anyone who is interested in preserving current trails and adding new ones should plan on attending. I'm sure there will be NYSORVA as well as several different clubs memberships available.