Minnesota Citizens for the Arts » No Legacy For Stadium

Minnesotans Will Say NO to Legacy for Stadiums at Their Caucuses on Feb. 7

On Tuesday, Feb. 7, at 7 PM, Minnesota’s arts and conservationists have a chance to make our voices heard in our precinct caucuses against Legacy being used for the Vikings stadium. Each party holds their own meetings, and just for showing up, you have the right to introduce a resolution on any topic you want. Legislators will respond to the issues that citizens bring to caucuses.

You can find out where your caucus will be here: http://caucusfinder.sos.state.mn.us/.

Download this resolution and take it with you to introduce at your caucus.

BACKGROUND:

Minnesotans passed the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment in 2008 by a huge margin to protect Minnesota’s land, water, parks and arts. Now legislators are talking about diverting arts Legacy funds to pay for a Vikings stadium.

PRECINCT CAUCUS RESOLUTION:

Whereas thousands of Minnesotans worked together on the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment campaign to provide dedicated funds for the outdoors and the arts, diverting these funds to pay for a Vikings stadium is not only illegal, but a bait and switch to the 1.6 million taxpayers who voted for the amendment,

Whereas, using legacy funds to support a single for-profit business instead of conservation and arts initiatives in hundreds of cities and towns will deprive communities across Minnesota of needed resources and jobs,

Whereas, ignoring the constitution is a slippery slope, and allowing diversion of the arts fund against the will of voters will make legislators feel empowered to divert the outdoor, parks and clean water funds as well,

Whereas, there is no mention of funding for stadiums anywhere in the constitution, and not once, in all of the legislative debate, nor during the campaign to pass the amendment, was there any mention of using the funds for a stadium,

BE IT RESOLVED that the ________________ Party opposes even a single penny of Legacy Amendment funding being diverted for a Vikings Stadium.

Background & History

As unbelievable as it may seem, some legislators have proposed diverting Arts Legacy funds to pay for a new Vikings Stadium. We must vigorously oppose this proposal which would do harm to arts funding in every corner of the state. The fight is ongoing! Below is a rundown on what’s happened so far.

On October 21, 2011 Rep Kurt Daudt proposed in an MPR interview using Arts Legacy funds to pay for a new Vikings stadium, as legislators were having a hard time coming up with a way to pay for it. Several important legislative leaders were also quoted over the next several days as saying this was a great idea. There has been considerable press and legislative discussion of this idea since, in addition to a Senate hearing on Dec. 6, 2011. MCA sprang into action to oppose this stupid idea and to date, MCA and our arts, culture and conservation partners have delivered over 13,000 opposition calls and letters to elected officials.

TAKE A STAND IF YOU HAVEN’T YET:

PLEASE send a letter to your legislators opposing this proposal. On our website we make it easy. Talking points are provided, and it will automatically send the letters to your legislators. You can also compose your own letter: http://www.capwiz.com/artsusa/mn/state/main/?state=MN

WHY THIS IS A BAD IDEA:

Thousands of Minnesotans worked together on the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Vote Yes campaign to ensure dedicated funds for the outdoors and for the arts and history. Diverting these funds is not only illegal, but a bait and switch to the taxpayers who voted for the amendment with the belief that we were preserving the arts and outdoors.
The non-profits in every corner of Minnesota who depend upon these resources to provide arts opportunities in every county would be harmed by this proposal. There is not a single legislative district that would not have a negative impact from it. Legacy funding supports arts and history in every town in the state.
A recent Star Tribune poll found that 77% of Minnesotans oppose diverting Legacy funding to pay for a Vikings stadium. They want the Arts & Culture Fund to go to arts & culture. It was the LEAST POPULAR option for funding a stadium in the poll:

“The idea floated recently of using Legacy funds, which are dedicated to projects benefitting the environment, arts and cultural heritage, was shot down by the poll respondents — 77 percent opposed using Legacy funds for a stadium, compared to 21 percent in favor.”

Using the Arts & Cultural Heritage fund is not the answer to the Viking’s problems, because it is not a safe, secure source of funding. It will introduce delay and uncertainty into the project because:

1. there will be a lawsuit to prevent it, which could go on for years and years and

2. the Vikings will have to come back and fight for the funds every two years, just like all of the arts and history organizations do now. And we will fight it every step of the way.

The constitution says these funds “may be spent only for arts, arts education, and arts access and to preserve Minnesota’s arts and cultural heritage.” There is no mention of stadiums anywhere in the constitution, and not once, in all of the legislative debate, was there any mention of a stadium.
It is clear that the legislative intent of the Fund is to support Minnesota’s arts and history. Nowhere in that debate, nor in the constitution itself, is there language that says these funds can be used to pay for-profit stadium. Nor was there every a single mention of using Legacy funds for a stadium during the campaign to pass the amendment. If there were, it probably would have failed.

WHERE DOES THE GOVERNOR STAND ON THIS?

Governor Dayton has been a lifelong friend of the arts community in Minnesota. However, although given the opportunity several times by the press to rule it out, he has not done so. However, he has been quoted in the press as saying this is a “bad idea.”

It’s important to know that during the Governor’s campaign, he sat down with us for an interview about arts issues. Here’s what he said last year about the Arts & Culture Legacy Fund:

“This was a constitutional amendment passed by the people of Minnesota. The people of Minnesota voted to raise their own sales tax in order to support these programs and with all due respect to the legislature, this is not the legislature’s money, this is the people’s money. I believe that that dedicated funding should be there. The State Arts Board as well as the Regional Arts Councils are crucial to assuring that the money does go all over the state. That’s the infrastructure that has been established to assure that arts reach every community in Minnesota, it’s done a remarkable job over the last few decades. It should be supported and continued and frankly, the legislature should keep its hands off of the people’s money.”

We know he’s a friend of the arts. We need to make sure both he and all of the legislators know the damage this proposal would do to the arts across the state.

SO GO HERE NOW to send a letter to Governor Dayton.

(Talking points are provided for you to use, or you can write your own letter):

http://www.capwiz.com/artsusa/mn/state/main/?state=MN

RESULTS OF HEARING AND RALLY DEC. 6

Using Legacy For Stadium “Would be a Betrayal of Voters”

RALLY:

A rally and hearing at the State Capitol on Dec. 6 was an important opportunity for arts advocates. We drove home our message, “Not one penny of Legacy for stadium” by emphasizing how unpopular the idea is with the Minnesota public.

One of the 40+ protesters, Angie Keeton, brought a sign saying “We Are the 77%,” a reference to the Star Tribune poll that found 77% of Minnesotans oppose using the Arts Legacy fund this way. (Look for pictures of the rally on MCA’s Facebook page at: http://www.facebook.com/mncitizensforthearts).

HEARING:

The hearing room was packed, and seats were hard to come by.

Tom Hanson, former Minnesota Management and Budget Commissioner for the Pawlenty administration (and now lobbyist for MCA), pointed out that using the Legacy fund would bring delay and uncertainty to the stadium financing, as there undoubtedly would be a lawsuit against using the fund, and because the Vikings would have to return to the Capitol every two years as arts advocates do to ask for continuing appropriations from the fund. He also noted that public is very opposed to using Legacy funding, already delivering 13,000+ calls and letters to legislators against the idea.

Bill Strusinski, representing public television, remarked that during the many years debate at the legislature and with voters, using the fund for a stadium was never discussed.

From the Minnesota Historical Society, David Kelliher said that MHS has awarded 500+ grants, and the Minnesota State Arts Board and Regional Arts Councils 2500+ grants, in all 87 counties so far from the Arts Legacy funds, and that these grants would be lost to towns all across the state if they were diverted to a stadium.

Don McMillan from the Outdoor Heritage Alliance was scheduled to appear with us but couldn’t be at the hearing because he was sick, so Molly Pederson from Conservation Minnesota read his remarks, which pointed out that if the legislature can misuse the Arts Legacy fund, they’ll be after the Land, Water and Parks funds next.

In response to the testimony, Minneapolis’ Sen. Scott Dibble said he’s gotten hundreds of emails opposed to the idea of stealing Legacy funding, and none in favor.

Senator Richard Cohen of St. Paul, also on the committee, remarked:

Neither legislators or voters thought Legacy funding would go to stadium when they voted for it,
If you can misuse Arts Legacy funding this way, there’s no stopping using the land, water, or parks funds too,
·and that using Legacy funding is the LEAST POPULAR option with the public for funding a stadium for the Vikings

PRESS:

Minnesota’s press covered the hearing extensively:

“Lawmakers also discussed the possibility of diverting money from the state’s Legacy fund, replenished by a statewide sales tax approved by voters in 2008 to fund arts and cultural programs. About two dozen people from the arts community protested that idea outside the hearing room.

“When we got this through the Legislature, when we sold it to voters, never once was there even a suggestion it would go to the Vikings,” said Sheila Smith, executive director of Minnesota Citizens for the Arts. “This would be a betrayal of voters.”

- Austin Daily Herald and the Columbus, Indiana Republic

“No one spoke Tuesday in favor of funding a stadium with money the state collects for outdoors and arts projects. That had been discussed earlier, and hallways near the meeting room Tuesday were filled with arts and outdoors supporters holding signs opposed to the concept.”

-The West Central Tribune, Willmar and Forum Communication’s Capitol Chatter

Online newspaper Minnpost declared that funding for the stadium “isn’t going to come from” the Legacy Arts Fund. (Nice to hear, but we don’t think we’re out of the woods yet):

“Almost a sure thing: The money to fund a stadium isn’t going to come from the arts and cultural legacy money. That trial balloon, floated by a legislator months ago, never gained much altitude.

And it was shot full of holes by arts groups at Tuesday’s lengthy joint Senate committee meeting.

A large delegation of arts supporters stood outside the hearing room carried not so subtle signs for legislators to ponder, such as: “Did Zygi doorknock in 2008? We did.”

But it wasn’t just the arts crowd making a point that a football stadium doesn’t qualify for Legacy Amendment spending.

Outdoor organizations sided with the arts folks, too.

“They [outdoor organizations] understand that if they [legislators] can steal arts and culture funds, they’d be next,” said Sheila Smith, executive director of the Minnesota Citizens for the Arts, who helped organize the arts turnout.

WCCO’s Pat Kessler had the best video coverage of the rally, and Almanac’s Mary Lahammer also posted a brief rally video.

Thanks again to everyone who came to the rally, testified, or has contacted their legislators through our website http://www.capwiz.com/artsusa/mn/state/main/?state=MN. This fight is not over yet, but your work is making a difference!

NEXT STEPS?

Advocacy is ongoing. Join MCA’s Arts Alert list to stay informed.