151 



Congressman Saxton 



June 5, 1996 



Page 2 



Wc at Kaytee Picidncts feel, however, that selectively taxing people that feed wild birds in 

 order to help fund the Teaming With Wildlife Initiative is critically flawed; 



1 . Singling out the people who fised wild hiiids and taxing tiiem at the 5% level is like 

 taxing the preacher so he can preach to you. It is the very people tiiat are feeding 

 wild birds that are particularly sensitive to the cnvironinenL They are providing 

 food, shelter, and backyard landsc^ing in order to promote bird reproduction and ■ 

 hafaitanon. These are the people who arc teaching their children and grandchildren 

 the importance of preserving the environment. They are the ones that belong to the 

 foundations and chariiable organizations that help preserve our environment and 

 promote our conservation practices. Unlike fishing and hunting, where participanis 

 take ftom the environment, and a replenishment program is reqaired to sustain their 

 hobby, wild bird feeders actually contribute to help the environment If anjthing, 

 they could justifiably be subsidized. 



2. Our independent research indicates that roughly 50% of U.S. citizens are feeding 

 wild birds; 70?o of the people that feed wild birds are over age 40; 60% are over age 

 50. Thus, the proposed 5% excise tax is discriminatory of age being hea\-iiy 

 weighted toward our senior citizens. 



. 3. The cost of wild bird food flucmaies drastically widi the commodities market. At 

 the present time, grain commodities are at a record high, thus already creating an 

 inhibiting effect on purchases. For exarrple, the cost of com alone has doubled in 

 the last twelve months. Thus taxes would increase when the cost of the ulgredients 

 are highesL 



4. There are numerous small grain elevators that in processing grains, end up seUing 

 there own "wild bird" food- Trying to effectively police many of these small feed 

 mills and feed outlets would be very difficult Thus the larger manof acaurers would 

 be discriminated against in the open market Tne cost of enforcsmeni needs to be 

 identified 



