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In 2008, the Minnesota Legislature can provide leadership by letting voters choose to dedicate funding for clean water, wildlife, cultural heritage and natural areas. People choose to live here to enjoy Minnesota’s quality of life: its lakes and rivers, its natural areas and wildlife, its parks and trails. With escalating threats to our natural heritage, dedicating funding to protect and improve them is essential to maintain Minnesota’s competitiveness and our quality of life.


In 2007, a House-Senate conference committee agreed on a constitutional amendment and ballot language to ask voters in November 2008 whether to dedicate a 3/8 percent sales tax increase for the following purposes:
• to protect our drinking water sources;
• to protect, enhance and restore our wetlands, prairies, forests, and fish, game, and wildlife
    habitat;
• to preserve our arts and cultural heritage;
• to support our parks and trails; and
• to protect, enhance, and restore our lakes, rivers, streams and groundwater.


Minnesota voters know that protecting Minnesota’s water, parks, and wildlife for our children and grandchildren is a long-term investment worth making. House and Senate passage of the 2007 conference committee report early in the legislative session will allow time to reach  Minnesotans before they vote in November 2008.



After the Legislature passes the conference committee report, the proposed amendment must be submitted to the people in the 2008 general election.

The question submitted shall be:
"Shall the Minnesota Constitution be amended to provide funding beginning July 1, 2009, to restore, preserve, and enhance the state's fish and wildlife habitat and other natural resources; to protect the state's drinking water sources; to protect and restore the state's lakes, rivers, streams, wetlands and groundwater; to support the state's parks and trails; and to support the arts and cultural heritage of the state by increasing the sales and use tax rate by three-eighths of one percent on taxable sales until the year 2034?
    Yes .......

    No ......."

Click here to see Great Outdoors & Heritage Amendment Fact Sheet (PDF)