I have been a sportsman my whole life. I enjoy both hunting and fishing and want to see wildlife habitat and our environment protected. However, I can’t support the constitutional amendment that will be on the ballot this fall. The amendment will raise sales taxes almost a half percent and is estimated to cost the average family $56 every year. This might not seem like a lot to some, but to others it can mean the difference between being able to make a budget work or not. 

Once enacted as a constitutional amendment, it will be there forever. I encourage those who can to donate to conservation projects or to volunteer their time. Yes, some of these TAX dollars are to go to clean water and also to the arts. Why should I want my TAX dollars be going to benefit the few who attend and enjoy the arts? If someone wants to attend an arts event, why should I pay to help them? If and when I go fishing, which I do more than most, I will gladly pay my way whether in the form of license fees or additional user fees. Why should your tax dollars benefit me going fishing or hunting? They shouldn’t.  clean water, that’s another whole issue in itself. Clean water is something every man, woman and child will benefit from. 

Yet, why do we need a special tax to clean it up? Why do we elect our state senators and representatives, to look after our interests and set a balanced state budget? This amendment would be taking this budget area out of their hands without any options to do what is in our best interest. However, I can’t support a tax that will hurt the people of this state, even for the outdoors and clean water, which I love. I hope other sportsmen will vote no this fall, too.

 
Carroll Aasen Jr.

Chaska