Yesterday's Minnesota House floor debate on funding LCCMR (Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources) recommendations is summarized in Session Daily's Lottery proceeds for LCCMR projects gets House approval.
Watching the YouTube of the debate reveals a target rich environment, and we're putting together posts illustrating a point made by Rep. Rick Hansen:
Rep. Rick Hansen (DFL-South St. Paul) said appropriations from the environment trust fund “always seem to get tinkered with” and that projects involving solar power, climate change or prohibitions on lead, “always come out of the package” when Republicans have the majority. He asked fellow lawmakers to vote against the bill so sponsors could “start over.”
One additional area, funding for a wild rice study, was raised by Rep. Peggy Flanagan, DFL-St. Louis Park, who is also an enrolled member of the White Earth Nation of Ojibwe. In the video clip below, Flanagan asks for LCCMR recommended funding for University of Minnesota-Duluth study related to the state grain be returned to the budget bill. After explaining the significance of wild rice to native people, she observes that state grain unites Minnesotans.
It's a positive and upbeat message. Heintzeman's response? "I'd appreciate a bill as I brought it to the House..." Here's the clip:
Once those pots o' money are raided--rather than using bonding to fund CREP as the governor wished--there's no going back, not even for projects that will aid a highly-valued (and tasty) Minnesota icon.
Photo: Representative Flanagan speaking to her amendment.
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