BillyRub

CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT ON THE BALLOT – KNOW WHAT YOU’RE VOTING FOR!
There is a constitutional amendment on your Minnesota ballot this year concerning the Environmental and Natural Resources Trust Fund (ENRTF.) Unfortunately, the wording of the ballot question is deceptive for most voters. It sounds really good, but it tells you absolutely nothing about what you’re really voting for.

I do NOT support this ballot language in its current form. I will explain why below. In the end, voters will need to decide for themselves if they agree with these changes or not, but it’s important that they make their decision with the knowledge of what they are really voting for.

First some background to the ENRTF: This permanent fund was created by a 1988 ballot initiative and is dedicated to funding activities that “protect, conserve, preserve, and enhance the state’s air, water, land, fish, wildlife, and other natural resources.” Currently 40% of Minnesota lottery proceeds go into the ENRTF account every year. The Legislative Citizens Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR), an appointed council, decides what projects will be funded with ENRTF dollars each year. The approved projects then go to the legislature for a final vote.

Here’s question you will see on your 2024 ballot:
“Shall the Minnesota Constitution be amended to protect drinking water sources and the water quality of lakes, rivers, and streams; conserve wildlife habitat and natural areas; improve air quality; and expand access to parks and trails by extending the transfer of proceeds from the state-operated lottery to the environment and natural resources trust fund, and to dedicate the proceeds for these purposes?”

Sounds good, right? Everyone, including me, supports clean drinking water and lake/river/stream water, improved air quality, etc. However, there is much more to this ballot question that is not contained in this wording.

Below are points that are contained in the bill that is behind this ballot question. THIS IS WHAT YOU ARE VOTING FOR when you vote on this ballot question:

• The new language will DISALLOW any funding for important community clean water initiatives like water pollution, city sewer and water discharge, etc. It instead redirects that money to “research.”
• The new language sets aside 1.5% of the ENRTF lottery funds (about $25 million per year) for "community grants.” These grants are directed to be divvied out to non-profit organizations that are specifically targeted toward the tribes and BIPOC-led organizations, and those "historically overburdened by pollution.”
• This new language removes the final vote by the legislature for about $25 million of the funding. Unelected appointees will be the sole determiners of funded projects. Legislature approval is removed from that process.
• Finally, this new language sets a 25 YEAR reauthorization (instead of the usual ten years.) That means the next time voters will get a say on this subject will be in 2050. If you don’t like the changes, too bad for you for a quarter century.

The Trust Fund will not end if this measure does not pass. Future lottery tax dollars will go into the general fund, but there is still $1.9 billion in the current Trust Fund. There is plenty of time to rework this issue and return with a better ballot question.

I will be voting NO on this ballot question because I don’t agree with the changes in the underlying language. It decreases oversight, increases the potential for theft by fraud, and limits public input and transparency. It takes the decisions out of the hands of the people and puts them solely into the hands of unelected bureaucrats. We should go back to the ballot drawing board because we can do much better.