Stewardship Program to Stew for a While

Another piece of good news.

The state's fiscal problems have prompted it to pare spending for Wisconsin's multimillion-dollar land purchase program.

The Department of Natural Resources said this week it would be "severely curtailing" the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program for the remainder of the fiscal year, with only the highest priority acquisitions proceeding.

The agency says it's also reviewing the entire program, whose funding grew by 43% in 2010 to $86 million annually.

Prestegard mentions this in his blogspot--and draws a Superior Intellect (of the frog-and-bug variety) in opposition.

Here's something Prestegard did not mention:

...in the fiscal year starting July 1, interest expenses alone for the program are expected to cost $29 million to $31 million, a DNR memo shows. Those funds come from sources that include general purpose revenue and proceeds from the DNR's forestry program

And of course, the State does not pay property-tax on its lands, as Prestegard mentions.