Conferencing legacy

Discussion on the state’s legacy is expected to be completed in conference committee during the final days of the legislative session.

HF1231*/SF1651, sponsored by Rep. Mary Murphy (DFL-Hermantown) and Sen. Richard Cohen (DFL-St. Paul), would provide that new sales tax revenues be deposited in four dedicated funds, under the legacy amendment adopted onto the state’s constitution last November. It increases the state’s sales tax from 6.5 percent to 6.875 percent.

The four newly created funds will go toward wildlife habitat, clean water, parks and trails, and arts and culture.

The bill is the result of weeks of testimony about the potential impact of the money over the next 25 years, especially in the face of an economic downturn, Murphy said. It also provides a plan to guide the distribution of the legacy amendment money over the 25-year life of the tax. The tax goes into effect July 1, 2009, and funding would become available at the beginning of 2010.

Differences in fiscal years 2010-2011 include:

• $59.7 million in the House versus $75.7 million in the Senate from the Outdoors Heritage Fund to the Department of Natural Resources split among prairies; wetlands; forests; and fish, game and wildlife habitat;

• $40.19 million in the House versus $33.9 million in the Senate from the Clean Water Fund to the Pollution Control Agency for grants, drinking water protection, Minnesota River Water Quality testing and wastewater treatment monitoring;

• $31.9 million in the House versus $36.3 million in the Senate from the Parks and Trails Fund to the DNR for grants and the state parks and trails legacy;

• $25.37 million in the House versus $43.9 million in the Senate from the Clean Water Fund to the Public Facilities Authority for grants among small community wastewater treatment technical assistance and construction and phosphorus reduction; and

• $20.9 million in the House versus $25 million in the Senate from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund to the Minnesota Historical Society for grants, assistance to local historical societies and the Minnesota History Educational Network.