Outdoors, arts measure is back in play at the Capitol
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The proposed ballot measure underwent a legislative 360-degree turn and escaped an unfriendly committee in the process.
Early in the day, the Senate Taxes Committee revisited an April decision to block the bill's progress. The panel rewrote the bill to carve out money for the heritage programs through simple budget law without long-lasting guarantees an amendment would provide.
By late afternoon, the Senate Rules Committee put the bill back in its previous shape: a constitutional dedication. If approved, the state sales tax would rise by 3/8 of 1 percent. Proceeds from the extra tax - estimated to be $291 million by fiscal year 2011 - would be dedicated to restoring wildlife habitats, cleaning water, maintaining trails and supporting arts organizations.
Senate Majority Leader Larry Pogemiller, the bill's sponsor, said inserting the dedication in the state Constitution is the only way to ensure the money gets to its intended purpose.
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"We've had two years of frustration, and I think it's important to get this done."
"For whatever reason, it's been difficult for Legislature after Legislature to make the kind of financial commitment to our cultural and natural resource heritage that is necessary to protect it for future generations," Pogemiller said.
He denied going to extraordinary lengths to keep the bill moving.
Amendment advocates who have been pushing for a secure funding stream for years said the product matters more than the process.
"Our faith is restored," said John Curry, a spokesman for Great Outdoors Minnesota. "Feels like the fishing opener came early."
But the bill isn't home free. Sen. Tom Bakk, DFL-Cook, predicted a close vote on the Senate floor.
"There are a lot of us who think it is not good public policy to put dedications into the constitution," he said.
How the set-aside is structured in the bill matters for a few reasons:
- A constitutional amendment reaches the ballot if both chambers of the Legislature agree to identical language; no gubernatorial signature is required.
- A statutory dedication wouldn't be put before voters, but it would also require the governor to sign off. Gov. Tim Pawlenty is resistant to any proposal that raises taxes.
- A statutory dedication can be overturned by future lawmakers while reversing a constitutional amendment is much more difficult.
Sen. Julianne Ortman, R-Chanhassen, said writing the dedication into law instead of the constitution could provide false hope to people yearning for guaranteed money for cultural and environmental programs.
"The idea of a statutory dedication is artificial," she said.
A slightly different constitutional amendment proposal is advancing in the House without the hiccups the Senate bill has encountered.
(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
