But hey, it's better to get 1.17% than 1.12% for conservation...
For the first time since 2002, Minnesota’s Governor and Legislature this year enacted a slight increase in the share of the state general fund allocated to conservation and environmental programs. Although much work remains to assure that Minnesota’s state budget reflects the importance of natural resources to our economy, our health and the Minnesota way of life, the 2006 legislative session was a welcome break from recent years of conservation budget reductions.
In February, Governor Tim Pawlenty proposed both a strong 2006 bonding request for conservation and a supplemental operating budget that directed a small amount of a forecasted $405 million surplus to water pollution cleanup. With this as a starting point, the Legislature ultimately passed a bonding bill that included even more funding for conservation than the Governor’s recommendations, and approved a supplemental operating budget that includes a modest but important first investment in cleaning up polluted waters.
Unfortunately, hopes for a long-term natural resources funding solution were dashed at the end of the session when the House and Senate failed to agree on a proposed constitutional amendment to dedicate a fraction of sales tax revenues for water protection and wildlife and habitat conservation.
http://www.mepartnership.org/sites/VOTEMINNESOTA/sub_whatsnew.asp?new_id=2077
Posted by Dave at September 18, 2006 08:07 PM