Voters to decide fate of Minnesota’s dedicated lottery money to environment

The only constitutional amendment up for a vote on Tuesday asks Minnesotans whether to renew dedicated lottery funding for the outdoors via the Environmental and Natural Resources Trust Fund.

If more than 50% of voters say “yes” to the ballot question, they will continue the dedicated pipeline to a fund that pumps out tens of millions of dollars a year for clean water, wildlife habitat, environmental education, trails, land acquisition and other projects beneficial to natural resources.

If the vote is affirmative, Minnesota will dedicate a portion of state lottery proceeds for outdoor causes for a third time since 1990. In that time, the system has delivered more than $1 billion for projects recommended by the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR). The yearly recommendations must be approved by the Legislature and signed by the governor for the money to be released. In the current fiscal year, the trust fund generated $76.6 million to underwrite 101 projects. Next year, the withdrawal from the fund will surpass $100 million for the first time.

Previous statewide votes in 1990 and 1998 overwhelmingly supported constitutional dedication of lottery funds for the preservation and restoration of wild places. To keep it going, a broad-based coalition of outdoors-minded groups have campaigned for yet another win. The group, known as Minnesotans for Our Great Outdoors, has been reminding voters that leaving the question blank counts as a “no.”

If the overall result is a “yes,” the vote would guarantee the flow of Minnesota State Lottery cash until 2050. If the measure fails, the pipeline of lottery money to the trust fund would continue unless the Legislature changes it.

The system for distributing the annual proceeds wouldn’t change if the amendment passes. That process, starting with projects selected by LCCMR, is governed by the Legislature. But this year’s proposed constitutional amendment would increase the maximum allowable annual draw from the trust fund from 5.5% to 7%. To address the additional 1.5%, the Legislature created a new community grant program for underserved organizations and communities. To be overseen by the Department of Natural Resources, it would dole out money in consultation with an advisory council for projects consistent with the constitutional purpose of the trust fund.

The Center of the American Experiment is urging a “no” vote, arguing that the Legislature will have no control over the community grant program and that constitutionally dedicated funding is bad public policy.

Also new to this year’s amendment is a provision that would prevent the use of lottery proceeds for wastewater infrastructure. Research projects for the betterment of those facilities would still be eligible.