EICHORN: Funding controversial arts projects is not what Minnesotans voted for with Legacy Amendment

The Minnesota Senate on Monday approved an $821.8 million Legacy bill that provides funding for the Outdoor Heritage Fund, the Clean Water Fund, the Parks and Trails Fund, and the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.

Republicans offered multiple amendments to protect taxpayers, including:

  • No funding for any organization or corporation that has had a civil or criminal sexual assault or harassment judgment against them over the last 24 months.
  • No funding for projects related to the occult, divination, necromancy, soothsaying, satanism, demonology, or pedophilia.   

Democrats rejected these amendments. They did accept a Republican amendment to prevent taxpayer dollars from funding projects that are terroristic or criminal in nature.  

“This bill has some good projects that can help us maintain clean water, air, parks, and trails,” Senator Justin Eichorn (R-Grand Rapids) said. “But Democrats want to spend way, way too much on unaccountable individuals and organizations for controversial ‘arts projects.’ This is not what Minnesotans wanted or expected when they voted for the Legacy Amendment in 2008. This funding should be directed toward projects that are more in line with Minnesotans’ values of protecting the natural resources we all cherish.”

LEGACY AMENDMENT BACKGROUND

In 2008, Minnesota’s voters passed the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment (Legacy Amendment) to the Minnesota Constitution to: protect drinking water sources; to protect, enhance, and restore wetlands, prairies, forests, and fish, game, and wildlife habitat; to preserve arts and cultural heritage; to support parks and trails; and to protect, enhance, and restore lakes, rivers, streams, and groundwater.

The Legacy Amendment increased the state sales tax by three-eighths of one percent beginning on July 1, 2009 and continuing until 2034. The additional sales tax revenue is distributed into four funds as follows: 33 percent to the Clean Water Fund (CWF); 33 percent to the Outdoor Heritage Fund (OHF); 19.75 percent to the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund; and 14.25 percent to the Parks and Trails Fund (PAT).