County treasurer wants doe tags in local hands
The Butler County Treasurer's Office bustled Monday morning as staffers' hands sifted through hundreds of doe tag applications on the first day they could be processed.
And county Treasurer Diane Marburger said that is exactly the way they like it.
“We do a very good job at this,” Marburger said. “It's not broken.”
Marburger called upon the county's state legislators to witness the procedure that shows why House Bill 207 should not try to take that process from the hands of county treasurers statewide.
The bill, introduced by primary sponsor Rep. Gerald J. Mullery, R-119th, Luzern County, would shift that responsibility directly to the Pennsylvania Game Commission.
According to Muller's vision, people would apply and pay online for doe tags, which allow hunters to hunt female deer.
As state Reps. Marci Mustello, R-11th, and Abby Major, R-60th, witnessed the process, Marburger made her arguments about keeping the issuance power in the treasurer's hands.
“This is a very new system,” Marburger said. “They're already acknowledging it is going to be sluggish. Can you imagine 1 million hunters going online this morning to try to get a doe tag?”
Marburger received an email from HuntFishPA, acknowledging the system likely will be slow and have complications.
“We are expecting several days of very high activity as you and your fellow county treasurers use our platform to fulfill your license orders,” said the email, signed by Sandi Miller, manager of the HuntFishPA system.
Mustello said she was impressed with the treasurer's current system, which involved a few employees sorting applications while others entered them into a computer system. She said she also has seen other agencies, such as the state Office of Unemployment Compensation, become overwhelmed by online requests.“I think we're seeing a very efficient system Diane has set up now,” she said.However, an overwhelmed system was not Marburger's only concern regarding the potential change. She said there is a large portion of hunters who are older in age, and they may have difficulty with a fully online application process.Marburger referenced Wildlife Management Units and their individual allocation of doe tags. Some counties, where wildlife is more strictly preserved, have fewer doe tags to go around.She said with doe tags given on a first-come, first-serve basis, allowing online sales would create an uneven playing field, especially for those who struggle with technology or who lack internet access.“I don't think it's quite fair for everybody,” Marburger said.
Major, who represents parts of Armstrong, Butler and Indiana counties, said her district encompasses many rural areas, and some of her constituents would have a problem accessing the internet. She said the mail-in process serves as an equalizer.“It makes it fair for people who may not have internet access,” she said.One hunter arrived shortly after the treasurer's office opened Monday. Despite not being able to take doe tag applications on the spot, hunters still can buy their license there.Larry Neff, of Oakland Township, said he has been hunting for 61 years. He said years ago, he would hunt everything, but now he hunts mostly for deer.“I always get my license here,” Neff said.Neff said he understood that the mail-in system made things fair, but it does make some instances inconvenient. Neff filled out his doe tag application in the treasurer's office, but would have to submit that application through the mail, like everyone else.“I guess I'm OK with the way it is,” he said. “It's probably the fairest way.”Marburger said there is a value to internet sales, and she believes the best way moving forward would be to keep mail-in doe tag applications in her office and, when the doe tags go on sale over-the-counter, open up sales online. She said at that point, allocation is no longer a factor.“I see the merits of online, but there are drawbacks that need worked out,” Marburger said. “This is an even playing field.”
