Minnesota voters passed the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment on
Election Day, a ballot initiative supporters touted as a way of making
up for stingy environmental funding.
by T.W. Budig
ECM Capitol reporter
Minnesota voters passed the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment on Election Day, a ballot initiative supporters touted as a way of making up for stingy environmental funding.
"Of course when you talk about money, legislators duck their heads, said former Vikings Coach Bud Grant at a recent "Sportsmen Vote Yes coalition rally in St. Paul.
The three-eighth percent sales tax increase approved by the voters is estimated to capture about $300 million a year.
Thirty-three percent of the new money will go to clean water, a third to game, fish and wildlife habitat, 20 percent to arts and culture and the remaining to parks and trails.
Supporters have been worried about a provision in state law that has ballots left unmarked by voters on the constitutional amendment questions counted as "No votes.
"If this amendment loses it's going to be because there was a high percentage of people who didn't vote on this amendment, said Ken Martin, campaign manager of Vote Yes Minnesota, earlier this autumn.
Taxpayers League campaigns against amendment
While the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce and Minnesota Business Partnership adopted neutral stances on the amendment, the Minnesota Taxpayers League actively campaigned against it.
Former U.S. Sen. Rod Grams, an amendment opponent, argued that state waters have markedly improved over recent decades.
"We feel this is a tremendous abuse of the constitution, for it creates basically a slush fund for a lot of special interest groups to have their money to spend on pet projects, said Grams, chairman of the No Constitutional Tax Increase Campaign.
But Steve Morse, executive director of the Minnesota Environmental Partnership, expressed different views in a press release.
"What a great day for Minnesota! he said.
"Voters have soundly chosen to protect the Minnesota we all love! Now our children and grandchildren will be able to enjoy cleaner lakes, rivers and streams; abundant wildlife and natural areas; and parks and trails, he said.
More than 200 constitutional amendments have come before Minnesota voters since statehood roughly half have been approved.
ECM Capitol reporter
Minnesota voters passed the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment on Election Day, a ballot initiative supporters touted as a way of making up for stingy environmental funding.
"Of course when you talk about money, legislators duck their heads, said former Vikings Coach Bud Grant at a recent "Sportsmen Vote Yes coalition rally in St. Paul.
The three-eighth percent sales tax increase approved by the voters is estimated to capture about $300 million a year.
Thirty-three percent of the new money will go to clean water, a third to game, fish and wildlife habitat, 20 percent to arts and culture and the remaining to parks and trails.
Supporters have been worried about a provision in state law that has ballots left unmarked by voters on the constitutional amendment questions counted as "No votes.
"If this amendment loses it's going to be because there was a high percentage of people who didn't vote on this amendment, said Ken Martin, campaign manager of Vote Yes Minnesota, earlier this autumn.
Taxpayers League campaigns against amendment
While the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce and Minnesota Business Partnership adopted neutral stances on the amendment, the Minnesota Taxpayers League actively campaigned against it.
Former U.S. Sen. Rod Grams, an amendment opponent, argued that state waters have markedly improved over recent decades.
"We feel this is a tremendous abuse of the constitution, for it creates basically a slush fund for a lot of special interest groups to have their money to spend on pet projects, said Grams, chairman of the No Constitutional Tax Increase Campaign.
But Steve Morse, executive director of the Minnesota Environmental Partnership, expressed different views in a press release.
"What a great day for Minnesota! he said.
"Voters have soundly chosen to protect the Minnesota we all love! Now our children and grandchildren will be able to enjoy cleaner lakes, rivers and streams; abundant wildlife and natural areas; and parks and trails, he said.
More than 200 constitutional amendments have come before Minnesota voters since statehood roughly half have been approved.
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