On waking up in parallel dimensions...

Or did someone slip some 'shrooms in my morning coffee? Because I don't believe that I'm reading this:

Outdoors/cultural bill advances
Senate measure would let voters decide on 3/8ths of 1 percent sales tax increase; House version waiting
JOHN HENDRICKSON
Mesabi Daily News
Monday, April 03rd, 2006 10:38:14 PM

ST. PAUL- Voters are one step closer to deciding whether the state’s sales tax should be increased by three-eighths of one percent with the new revenue dedicated for outdoors and cultural purposes.

The Senate on Monday voted 44-22 to put the amendment on the November ballot. The amendment is sponsored by Sen. Dallas Sams, DFL-Staples, and is co-sponsored by Sen. Tom Saxhaug, DFL-Grand Rapids, among others.

Sen. Tom Bakk, DFL-Cook, the only senator in the Iron Range delegation to vote no, said he didn’t agree with dedicating general fund sales tax monies through a constitutional amendment.

“I do not support locking up general fund money for future legislators to spend,” said Bakk. “It’s not good policy to bind the policy of future legislators,” he said.

Err... a Consitutional Amendment... to RAISE the sales Tax??? I thought that we were already the fourth highest taxed state in the union. Why do we need higher taxes? Ohh... that's right...(WARNING: liberal application of duct tape around head may be required before reading)

...the sales tax increase to be dedicated for fish, wildlife, parks, trails, arts and humanities.

The dedicated funding would be broken down as follows:

• 34 percent for fish and wildlife resources.

• 22 percent for parks, trails, and zoos.

• 22 percent for cleanup of polluted waters.

• 22 percent for the arts, humanities, museums, and public broadcasting.

AAAAARGHHH!!!! For PUBLIC BROADCASTING??? An Amendment to our State Constitution that will REQUIRE us to PAY for liberal propaganda ad nauseum, in perpetuity???

But that's not the worst of it. Read on (Warning: application of more duct tape may be required)...

Many Republicans were in favor of the amendment, but could not justify placing arts and humanities as constitutionally-funded items.

(Queue the "twilight zone" theme music)

Did I read that right. Did some pods spring up overnight and snatch the minds of unwitting Republicans?

I heard Betsy Wergin on Hot Talk this morning, who stated that she voted to bring it to a vote because it was a measure that came from the grass roots, and that people wanted access to the Constitution, and she wasn't about to stand in the way of the People's right to change the Constitution. Okay, I'm just waiting to hear from whence this "grass roots" level of support came, and how much of a groundswell it actually was.

But the fun's not over, folks... From our own governor...(Warning: Application of more duct tape may again be required)

“While I appreciate the Senate’s willingness to vote on this important issue, I hope the bill will be more focused in its final version. Conservation and clean water are too important to be watered down by other issues. While the arts and public broadcasting are important, they do not rise to the level of being in need of dedicated constitutional support,” said Pawlenty.

Err... Governor... do you remember anything in your past vernacular resembling the words, "NO NEW TAXES"? Did you leave that out in a sudden bout of amnesia, or on purpose?

There is no doubt in my mind that this will go down in flames when presented to an informed electorate (these folks will see to that). My biggest beef is that there are many Republicans, including our "no new taxes" governor, who aren't poo-pooing the notion altogether.

But if they and the dems see it fit that the voters should be able to access the Constitution (a document that belongs to the citizens of Minnesota), so as to change said Constiution and raise taxes as a result, so be it.

Knock yourselves out.

But a final note, this time especially to our democrat friends: if the apparent current level of grassroots support behind this particular proposed Amendment is the yardstick by which should be measured the Legislatures' willingness to allow the People to vote for an Amendment to the Minnesota Constitution, then I fully expect that you will allow the People's collective voice to be heard this fall regarding the Defense of Marriage Amendment, which is beyond a doubt light years ahead of this in grassroots support, and would be exponentially more impactful on their lives.

But I won't hold my breath.



(Filed under pass the pork, overtaxed, RINOs, Pawlenty)