Appropriately enough - in today's Union Leader:
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The Fish and Game Department and lawmakers have tried for years to find additional revenue to cover the cost of search and rescue operations, which cost more than $300,000 a year.
Currently $1 from boat, snowmobile and off-road vehicle registration fees go into the fund, which raises about $180,000 a year. The shortfall comes out of the general fish and game fund, which is revenue from hunting and fishing licenses.
...
You know I don't know exactly what these vehicle registration fees cost, but if only 1$ goes into the fund, and that raises $180,000 a year, leaving a shortfall of $120,000/year, raising the registration fee by only $1 would easily cover the shortfall...
I know, this isn't passing the burden on to climbers, but how many boat, snowmobile, and off-road vehicle owners are really going to care about a $1 a year increase in their registration fees? Maybe a lot... but I really doubt it.
That also means there are 180,000 people registering these vehicles... there are not 180,000 winter mountaineer's/ice climbers in NH...
I would buy a card if this bill passes, but I share the concerns already voiced that having a card may make some people feel entitled to a rescue, even when they could get out themselves... The simpler fix would be to just raise the above mentioned fees by a buck, and continue to seek some donation to S&R in cases that appear frivolous...