E-Pull Tab Revenue Falls Short for Stadium Funding
Rep. Barrett noted last year that the projections were based on a faulty foundation of knowledge.
St. Paul – Lawmakers are known for throwing around phrases like “common sense legislation,” “government should operate more like the private sector,” and “we need more accountability and transparency.” Unfortunately, there are very real reasons we use these expressions, and one of them comes in the form of the People's Stadium bill pushed for and signed into law by Governor Dayton last year.
I love the Vikings—and have ever since they beat the then-Los Angeles Rams in a rainy playoff game back in the mid-1970s—despite this, the fact is that last year’s stadium bill is on the cusp of yielding damaging financial consequences for the State of Minnesota. Month after month, the Gambling Control Board has reported nothing but dismal news about the revenue collections from electronic pull tabs, the stadium’s primary funding mechanism.
Last year I warned that e-pull tabs would fall disastrously short of the $400 million necessary to help support stadium construction, and I argued that, because of this, the bill wasn't “common sense legislation.” I knew this because I took the time to ask the hard questions about the revenue projections created by the Gambling Control Board. I made phone calls to its Executive Director and asked for the documents from which the projections were made. From studying this information, it was clear to me that the projections were based on a faulty foundation of knowledge.
Ultimately, deciding how to vote on the final bill came down to standing up for Chisago County schools and taxpayers. I could not, in good conscience, vote for a funding source that was clearly not going to happen and would take money from the general fund without the public’s knowledge. The data we have today proves this to be true.
According to a recent MPR article, e-pull tabs have only generated about $4 million, a far cry from what is needed to pay for this major project without taxpayer help. According to estimates, it will take until 2017 to even install all of the machines!
What will happen now? Well, Governor Dayton and many lawmakers are planning to substantially raise taxes on Minnesota families. This is being done to fund new public spending, but it will also have the effect of paying for the “People’s Stadium,” which was signed into law with a faulty funding plan. Unfortunately, they have the votes now to do this.
Please know that I will continue to take a stand for Chisago County, and I will vote my conscience, even if it isn’t the popular thing to do. Feel free to contact me at any time regarding bills that are up in the House. I look forward to hearing from you!
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