On Tuesday evening I was notified of an alarming situation.

It seems that a couple metro area legislators are trying to hijack funds from the Outdoor Heritage Fund.

For those not familiar with that fund, it is one of four beneficiaries of the 2008 constitutional amendment known as the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Act. It receives 33 percent, or one third, of the 3/8ths percent sales tax increase that went into effect last June. The amendment specifically states that the money must be used to “restore, protect and enhance habitat for fish, game and wildlife.”

They are going after the money by way of redefining what the word “protect” means, according to Mary Murphy, DFL-Hermantown, who says the words “protect” and “prevent” are interchangeable. She claims that they have been used that way for 25 years. If the redefinition of the word “protect” is allowed to stand, she will be able to hijack portions of the fund for “research” and “education” with absolutely no oversight as to what would be acceptable research or education. She proposes that educating people on the importance of clean water is prevention of damage to the water (or rather a healthy ecosystem another change to the amendment that was voted on and approved by the citizens of Minnesota).

I was not a supporter of this legislation (Article XI Sec.15) from the beginning primarily because of this kind of thing happening, but also because of the way it was presented. I was the minority as the amendment passed. We have it as law now so we must do what we can to stop the blatant disregard for the wishes of the people of Minnesota. We voted on an amendment, and it passed now a few in the Legislature want to override what we voted on and make it fit their needs purely for political gain.

This kind of thing is getting old. Pick up the phone, contact your representatives. Tell them to leave our amendment alone. Leave our fund alone. Tell them the additional language that was added after the amendment passed must be removed. Tell them “protect” and “prevent” are not the same thing. Tell them to “protect” their job and we won’t “prevent” them from keeping it.

Lance Frank

Albert Lea