Date: 08/15/2008 BLUERIBBON COALITION LEGISLATIVE ALERT!
Dear BRC Action Alert Subscriber,
Attention Minnesota Recreationists!
BRC has received a Legislative Alert from our partners over at the ATV Association of Minnesota (ATVAM) (www.atvam.org/) regarding some damaging legislation working its way through the Minnesota Legislature. They have asked us to pass this information along to all our Minnesota alert subscribers.
I have pasted a copy of their email below, please take a couple of minutes to read it over and pass it on!
Thanks in advance for your support,
Ric Foster
Public Lands Department Manager
BlueRibbon Coalition
208-237-1008 ext 107
___________________________________________________________________
ATVAM August 13, 2008
ATVAM Members,
Last year legislation was introduced that would have stripped ATV enthusiasts of their deserved unrefunded gas tax money. This would have cost us dearly in our efforts to build a sustainable trail riding system in MN and our safety efforts. We must get activated and reach out to local legislators and educate them on what the unrefunded gas tax program is. Attached is a fact sheet that will easily explain the program to anyone that reads it. We encourage you to share it with your local legislators. Each legislator that is educated on the issue before they come back for the 2009 session will make our lobbyists job easier to defeat this damaging legislation. If you have any questions please feel free to contact Jonathan Bohn at (651) 815-1196 or bohn.jonathan@gmail.com.
Thank you,
Jonathan M. Bohn
(651) 815.1196
Media and Government Affairs
540 Diffley Rd
St. Paul, MN 55123
___________________________________________________________________
Unrefunded Gasoline Tax Fact Sheet
During the 2008 Legislative Session legislation was introduced that would have eliminated the
unrefunded gasoline tax as defined in M.S. 296A.18, Sud. 2,3,4,5 and 6 attributable to off-highway motorized activities. These recreational activities include watercraft, snowmobiles, all-terrain vehicles (ATV), off-highway motorcycles (OHM) and off-road vehicles (ORV). Hundreds of thousands of Minnesotans have enjoyed these recreational activities for decades and continue to enjoy them today! Passage of this provision would have drastically reduced the ability of the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to aid in the work of making these recreational activities available to all Minnesotans, as well as visitors to our great state.
Similar gas tax refunds from the Highway Trust Fund are distributed for gasoline use in airplanes, farm equipment, forest road travel, and others.
The MN Constitution requires that the gas tax collected from fuel used on public roads be returned to the Highway User Tax Distribution Fund. Gas tax revenues collected for non-highway consumption is redistributed from this fund to the off-highway accounts in the Natural Resources Fund based upon a gas use formula as determined by comprehensive studies ratified by the legislature.
DNR estimated a decrease in funding of up to $20.5 million annually by FY2011. This loss of funding would have a significant impact on the DNR, effecting every division, and also the ability to match federal funds that become available.
Below is a breakdown of funds collected by the unrefunded gas tax.
Revenue changes if legislation were to become law
Revenue projections are from the MN Department of Transportation.
Account: FY2010 FY2011
Water Recreation -$9,986,000 -$10,344,000
Snowmobile -$6,657,000 -$6,896,000
ATV -$1,797,000 -$1,862,000
OHM -$306,000 -$317,000
ORV -$1,092,000 -$1,131,000
Total -$19,839,000 -$20,550,000
The funds distributed to the Natural Resources Fund are used for enforcement, trail maintenance and development, fighting the spread of invasive species, strengthening public boat access to lakes, as well as a host of other important activities that the DNR and their recreational partners do to manage responsible recreation in our state.
For more information, please contact the ATVAM at atvamoffice@atvam.org
Paid for by the Minnesota Motorized Trail Coalition
ATVAM Jonathan M. Bohn
PO Box 296 Media and Government Affairs
Geneva, MN 56035 540 Diffley Rd
1-800-442-8826 St. Paul, MN 55123
1-651-815-1196
www.atvam.org
Link
Dear BRC Action Alert Subscriber,
Attention Minnesota Recreationists!
BRC has received a Legislative Alert from our partners over at the ATV Association of Minnesota (ATVAM) (www.atvam.org/) regarding some damaging legislation working its way through the Minnesota Legislature. They have asked us to pass this information along to all our Minnesota alert subscribers.
I have pasted a copy of their email below, please take a couple of minutes to read it over and pass it on!
Thanks in advance for your support,
Ric Foster
Public Lands Department Manager
BlueRibbon Coalition
208-237-1008 ext 107
___________________________________________________________________
ATVAM August 13, 2008
ATVAM Members,
Last year legislation was introduced that would have stripped ATV enthusiasts of their deserved unrefunded gas tax money. This would have cost us dearly in our efforts to build a sustainable trail riding system in MN and our safety efforts. We must get activated and reach out to local legislators and educate them on what the unrefunded gas tax program is. Attached is a fact sheet that will easily explain the program to anyone that reads it. We encourage you to share it with your local legislators. Each legislator that is educated on the issue before they come back for the 2009 session will make our lobbyists job easier to defeat this damaging legislation. If you have any questions please feel free to contact Jonathan Bohn at (651) 815-1196 or bohn.jonathan@gmail.com.
Thank you,
Jonathan M. Bohn
(651) 815.1196
Media and Government Affairs
540 Diffley Rd
St. Paul, MN 55123
___________________________________________________________________
Unrefunded Gasoline Tax Fact Sheet
During the 2008 Legislative Session legislation was introduced that would have eliminated the
unrefunded gasoline tax as defined in M.S. 296A.18, Sud. 2,3,4,5 and 6 attributable to off-highway motorized activities. These recreational activities include watercraft, snowmobiles, all-terrain vehicles (ATV), off-highway motorcycles (OHM) and off-road vehicles (ORV). Hundreds of thousands of Minnesotans have enjoyed these recreational activities for decades and continue to enjoy them today! Passage of this provision would have drastically reduced the ability of the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to aid in the work of making these recreational activities available to all Minnesotans, as well as visitors to our great state.
Similar gas tax refunds from the Highway Trust Fund are distributed for gasoline use in airplanes, farm equipment, forest road travel, and others.
The MN Constitution requires that the gas tax collected from fuel used on public roads be returned to the Highway User Tax Distribution Fund. Gas tax revenues collected for non-highway consumption is redistributed from this fund to the off-highway accounts in the Natural Resources Fund based upon a gas use formula as determined by comprehensive studies ratified by the legislature.
DNR estimated a decrease in funding of up to $20.5 million annually by FY2011. This loss of funding would have a significant impact on the DNR, effecting every division, and also the ability to match federal funds that become available.
Below is a breakdown of funds collected by the unrefunded gas tax.
Revenue changes if legislation were to become law
Revenue projections are from the MN Department of Transportation.
Account: FY2010 FY2011
Water Recreation -$9,986,000 -$10,344,000
Snowmobile -$6,657,000 -$6,896,000
ATV -$1,797,000 -$1,862,000
OHM -$306,000 -$317,000
ORV -$1,092,000 -$1,131,000
Total -$19,839,000 -$20,550,000
The funds distributed to the Natural Resources Fund are used for enforcement, trail maintenance and development, fighting the spread of invasive species, strengthening public boat access to lakes, as well as a host of other important activities that the DNR and their recreational partners do to manage responsible recreation in our state.
For more information, please contact the ATVAM at atvamoffice@atvam.org
Paid for by the Minnesota Motorized Trail Coalition
ATVAM Jonathan M. Bohn
PO Box 296 Media and Government Affairs
Geneva, MN 56035 540 Diffley Rd
1-800-442-8826 St. Paul, MN 55123
1-651-815-1196
www.atvam.org
Link