Thanks to state Sen. Leroy Garcia, the public has been alerted to Colorado Parks and Wildlife officials lobbying to increase hunting, fishing, boating and perhaps other fees.

Garcia, a Pueblo Democrat and the Senate’s assistant minority leader, revealed that the department has gauged the opinion of the Sportsmen Caucus – but not yet the public – about raising Parks and Wildlife fees by as much as 60 percent and perhaps even take away the Legislature’s responsibility for setting the fees and give it to Parks and Wildlife.

You might have guessed the department would prefer the authority to raise hunting, fishing and aquatics fees directly without asking pesky legislators’ approval first.

Read more at The Pueblo Chieftain.