Tuesday, May 27, 2008

Here We Go Again Minnesota - Hold On To Your Wallets

Just about the time you think they can't raise your taxes any higher, the politicians and special interests come up with a new way to confiscate more of your hard earned wages. This time it is the "Vote Yes Campaign".

You might wonder what the heck is the "Vote Yes Campaign"? Well, put simply, the "Vote Yes Campaign" intends to convince you to approve an amendment to the Minnesota state constitution. The Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment would raise the state sales tax by 3/8 of 1 percent and set aside the proceeds for habitat restoration, water cleanup and cultural programs.

Why is The Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment needed? Darned good question.

In 1988 voters approved amendment 202 to create Minnesota Environment and Natural Resource Trust Fund to provide support for environmental, natural resource and wildlife programs.

We approved amendment 205 in 1990. This amendment dedicated 40% of the proceeds from the Minnesota lottery to the Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund through the year 2001.

1998 brought amendment 209 extending the commitment of lottery funds to the Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund. Also passed in 1998 was amendment 210 intended to preserve our hunting and fishing heritage.

The polpigs and special interest groups are coming back to feed at the trough, folks. Obviously 40% of the lottery proceeds didn't satisfy their hunger - now they want a new increase in sales tax. Rather than using a percentage of the funds from an expansion in legal gambling such as off track betting and the creation of a Racino at Canterbury, the supporters of the The Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment want to confiscate your money through another tax.

Get ready folks for a summer of emotionally charged commercials and ads touting the benefits of this new amendment. What we will not see is any plain english explanation as to why the combination of the dedicated lottery funds and a portion of our ridiculously high state income tax is not sufficient to meet the needs.

Hopefully Minnesotans are starting to wake up to the methods of the DFL and their special interest supporters and will resoundingly vote "NO" this fall. Adding another tax on top of the expanded sales tax and gas taxes passed this year by the DFL is plainly a bad idea at a time when family budgets are being stretched to the limits by high taxes, high energy costs, high food costs and increasing unemployment.


[If you didn't know this proposed constitutional amendment was coming, don't feel too bad : I suspect most Minnesotans are in the same boat. If you are also wondering how this can pop up and be on the ballot while other proposed amendments such banning gay marriages or creating a single-house legislature never seem to make it, again don't feel like you're alone. The answer is simple, the legislator does not trust us with a tax payer driven Initiative and Referendum process.]

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2 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

My, but aren't they busy little bees over there.

Now that the session is over, they need to find a new way to keep taking our money.

7:27 PM  
Blogger RStar23 said...

Next to getting themselves re-elected , the number one activity of polpigs is to find as many ways to separate the taxpayer from their hard earned income as possible.

Rather than come up with a plan that involves voluntary participation such as allowing off track betting or building a Racino and taking a share of the profits, the polpigs have chosen yet another tax. Of course, the DFL/socialist party would not want to tick off the Indian tribes that provide much of their financial support.

So once again we will hear a never ending string of emotional appeals designed to make us feel guilty over not funding natural resource projects.

It does make you wonder just were the heck does our income tax money go to?

8:43 AM  

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