Another Surrogate Gets a High-Dollar Job

By Jim Slinsky

From what I can see, our state legislators are hard-working, busy people. When they are in Harrisburg, their days are hectic and complex. I have yet to see a legislator reading the paper. Meetings in their offices are non-stop. When sessions begin, they rush out onto the floor. After session, there may be more meetings in their offices, a committee meeting, or perhaps a meeting in their district. Jump in the car and drive a few hours and don't be late.

With the exception of those who live around Harrisburg, our legislators stay in hotels, motels or rented houses away from their families for three days a week while session is on. I don't know how hard they work back in their districts, but they do a white collar job that is not conducted on a golf course. State representatives earn about $75,000 a year, and senators earn $90,000. There are other perks and benefits, but this is generally what we pay.

Interestingly, Mr. Tim Schaffer, executive director of the Audubon Society, just got a new job. He is now director of policy, planning and communication at the Pa. Fish and Boat Commission. This is a newly created position. His salary is $90,000 a year. In essence, he is earning more than a state representative and about the same as a state senator. (Remember this the next time the PFBC cries the money blues. Did I hear someone say government at its finest?)

Now I learned a long time ago not to envy anyone making more money than me and not to feel sorry for anyone making less. That is not my point. My point is that Mr. Schaffer has functioned as a lobbyist for Audubon for years and has steadfastly maintained that the deer of Pa. must die to save our forests. I mean, he was constantly in Harrisburg making the rounds, sitting with our legislators and singing the kill-the-deer song. I guess Mr. Schaffer's ship finally came in.

In fairness to Mr. Schaffer, he is not the first person from Audubon to land a state job. His predecessor, Cindy Adams Dunn, went from executive director to director of biodiversity partnerships at DCNR. I didn't bother to check her salary. She has been very quiet, but she was quite active in the deer war during her stay at Audubon.

Actually, you can say Ms. Dunn was a major player in launching the deer eradication program. I attended her meeting I believe in 1998 called, "The Effects of Whitetail Deer on Pa.'s Forest Biodiversity" or something close to that. I didn't look it up, but you get the point. Ms. Dunn was also a major player in the mysterious million dollars donated to Penn State to launch Dr. Alt's deer studies. The studies that concluded the deer must die.

I hope you are getting the picture. Go to Harrisburg and support the kill the deer agenda and you will be hired into a high-paying state job. These few examples are only the high-profile examples we know of. It should not be a mystery why our agencies have drifted so far to the left that it is hard to recognize who they are and who they work for.

The most insulting part of this entire story is that neither Tim Schaffer nor Cindy Adams Dunn were correct in their assessment of the impact of deer. The latest regeneration studies reveal regeneration has hardly improved after killing millions of deer. Furthermore, DCNR is now liming their timber cuts and erecting fences. We promoted and handsomely rewarded these people for spreading a false agenda.

In reality, the deer war is much bigger than Carl Roe and PGC. The Governor's office must approve these promotions and newly created positions. DCNR's fingerprints are constantly appearing at the scene. We have the Sierra Club, the Nature Conservancy, the Humane Society, the National Wildlife Federation and others constantly in Harrisburg opposing the best interests of our sporting class. These groups are well-financed, working continuously to destroy our traditions.

By comparison, our sporting class has the part-time, 84-year old Dr. Charles Bolgiano from the Unified Sportsmen of Pa. standing in their way. I'd say it is time to level the playing field. In the interim, we can only wait and see which surrogate gets a new, executive level job - with your money.

Jim Slinsky is the host and producer of the "Outdoor Talk Network," a nationally syndicated outdoor-talk radio program. For a station near you or to contact Jim, visit his website at Outdoor Talk Network

Advertise in Pensylvania Woods & Waters