Key Action Points

Fund 9

• $65 Million in fund balances

• If reductions as proposed in the House version of the bill are approved by the
Legislature, the Game, Fish and Water Safety Account (fund 9) is estimated to
carry a balance of$65.7 million at the end of fiscal year 2013. This is an increase
of $40 million from the FYI 0111 biennium ending balance.

• Reinstatement of statutory programs

• The LBB recommendations for the FY12/13 base budget included significant cuts
to several statutorily required programs such as Hunter Education and Boater
Education. The cuts as prescribed would make it very difficult to carry out the
statutory requirement for these programs.

• Rider 27
• This rider would allow any additional revenue received in excess of the
Comptroller's Biennial Revenue Estimate to be appropriated to the Department
and has proven very helpful in granting TPWD some measure of flexibility in
providing services in response to increased demand and use of agency programs
and sites. TPWD has operated with this rider for the last several biennia, and is
requesting continuation of this language for the 2012-13 biennium.

• Reinstatement of capital budget

• The LBB recommended capital budget rider eliminated funding for capital
transportation, information technology and equipment items. However, the
recommendations continue rider language allowing TPWD to use gifts, grants and
federal funds for capital items when designated for such purposes by the grantor
(Rider 12). TPWD requests reinstatement of capital budget authority for
information technology, transportation and capital equipment items. For FY2012,
the request is to simply reinstate the line-items (at zero dollars) in the event
amounts become available under Rider 12. For FY2013, TPWD requests partial
reinstatement at an amount equal to 50% of the total requested in these categories,
for a total of $3.98 million. This will help minimize impacts and disruption to
core services that could otherwise result from complete elimination of funding in
these areas.

• Reinstatement of Coastal Fisheries FTEs

• The LBB recommended 15% administrative reductions include a disproportionate
impact to Coastal Fisheries FTEs as compared to the proposed funding cuts. The
15% administrative reduction in Strategy A.2.3. Coastal Fisheries Management
totals $52,376 per year, yet the associated FTE reduction is 12.9 in each year.
This discrepancy stems from multiple issues tied to the program level information
 used as the basis for the 15% administrative reduction calculation. The correct
FTE count for Coastal Fisheries administration is 4.9 (rather than 86.3), which
would yield a reduction of 0.7 FTEs. TPWD requests an adjustment (increase) of
12.2 FTE in each year in Strategy A.2.3.

• Provide increased flexibility

• Level Funding Reductions: Several of the recommended reductions call for a
deferral of programs for 6 months in FY2012, with associated funding and FTE
cuts front-loaded in that year. Such reductions, which are then followed by
reinstatement in the next year, pose significant operational impacts and budgeting
challenges to TPWD in carrying out the affected services. At the very least, these
reductions should be leveled equally between each year of the biennium to help
make the recommendations more manageable.
• Transferability Restrictions: Transferability provisions in Article IX (sec.
14.01 Appropriation Transfers) include new restrictions specifying that
appropriations within the Indirect Administration and Support goals may not be
increased by a transfer from another goal. This poses challenges for the
Information Resources function in light of the data center cost increases. TPWD
requests an exemption from Article IX, Sec. 14.01 (c) (2) as it relates to the
Information Resources strategy.
• Exemption from FTE cap for Federally Funded FTEs:_Article IX Sec. 16.10
(g) provides an exemption from the FTE cap for FTEs that are 100% federally
funded. While TPWD receives significant federal funding, it is unable to use this
authority because the bulk of our federal funds require a state match. Lack of
flexibility to grow FTEs in response to receipt of federal funds hinders TPWD's
ability to optimize use of federal funds in support of agency programs. We must
pursue a new rider allowing an increase in FTEs contingent upon receipt of
federal funds specifically allocated for salary costs. This will allow the
department to maximize use of federal funds to carry out core functions.