The primary focus of Parks & Trails' 2009 legislative agenda will be to play a leadership role in working with policy makers and park and trail stakeholders statewide in developing and implementing an allocation formula for the expenditures from the park and trail fund created as a result of the passage of the Legacy amendment.
When the 2008 Legislature passed legislation to put the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment on the ballot, it did not specifically spell out how the parks and trails portion of the funding would be allocated. The Constitutional language calls for the establishment of a park and trail fund and may be spent only to support parks and trails of regional or statewide significance. The allocation is 14.25 percent of the total receipts and current estimates are around $40 million annually.
Unlike the Outdoor Heritage and Clean Water Funds established in the amendment, there is not a citizen committee to oversee appropriation recommendations for the Park and Trail Fund. Therefore, the Minnesota Department of Finance and Gov. Pawlenty's office have asked the DNR for recommendations. The governor's budget proposal will include recommendations for the parks and trails funding.
Parks & Trails has been leading an effort to develop consensus on a Park and Trail Fund allocation formula so the fund equitably funds state parks and trails, metropolitan regional parks and trails, and non-metropolitan regional parks and trails.
In 2004, the Legislative Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCMR) Park Study Group recognized that state parks, metropolitan regional parks and non-metro regional parks are unique elements of a comprehensive and complementary statewide park and trail system. While each system has a different mission, different goals, and different clientele, each system is based, in varying degrees, on similar public benefits. These benefits include preserving natural resources, protecting open space, protecting cultural and historical resources, providing physical fitness and recreational opportunities, creating economic development through tourism and connecting people to the outdoors.
State and regional parks and trails provide interconnected systems for outdoor recreation opportunities. Parks & Trails believes that all discussions moving forward must acknowledge this interdependence.
It is important to note that State parks and trails are the sole responsibility of the State of Minnesota. Each state park and trail is established by an act of the Legislature. The state system depends solely on taxpayer funds and user fees (does not have access to other tax generated revenues, like property taxes, local option sales tax, etc). The new Legacy Amendment money, a portion of the sales tax, is also taxpayer funds.
Parks & Trails recognizes that the people of Minnesota have provided a unique opportunity to dramatically enhance and support the state's park and trail system. Parks & Trails supports developing funding strategies that demonstrate to citizens the benefits of the new funding through improved visitor services, facility maintenance, resource protection and opportunities to connect Minnesotans to the outdoors.
In moving forward with the development of an allocation formula for the Parks and Trails Fund, Parks & Trails will be guided by the following principles:
- The Park and Trail Fund is not sufficient to meet all of the needs for Minnesota's parks and trails. (See article on park and trail needs).
- Equity and balance between the needs and priorities of the three distinct park and trail systems must be recognized. (LCCMR Park Study findings).
- The Park and Trail Fund should be used to meet the specific priority needs of each distinct park and trail system.
- The Park and Trail Fund must provide flexibility to meet future, unknown needs.
- Parks & Trails supports a review of the DNR's existing grant program to help ensure future funding viability in light of new funding coming from the Park and Trail Fund.
- The Park and Trail Fund will supplement, not supplant, current levels and sources of park and trail funding, including general fund appropriations, other "dedicated" funds like park and camping permit fees, the Environmental Trust Fund and capital bonding appropriations. (See Supplement not supplant)
