Only 1.1 percent of state tax money is returned to fish and wildlife agency work that helps to add at least 4 percent to the gross state product. Lawmakers added a 6.5 percent tax to lottery sales in 1989 to bail out funding problems in the fish and wildlife agency, with coming close to fully funding problems in the entire state budget. This seems never to have been applied to the funding problems in the fish and wildlife agency, with coming close to fully funding Reinvest in Minnesota, or even matching private donations. At the core, the Environmental Trust Fund cannot supplant regular agency funding. Of course, he didn't acknowledge the democratic process of rulemaking, which often involves stakeholder groups, citizens and experts discussing the options.
Monied interests are always very well represented at the table.
But when the results don't satisfy certain groups, then legislators will often try to undermine the public process and public input. It sure is easy to vote for strong environmental legislation and then change the rules even before they are enacted. Many state employees and academic staff of our colleges have expertise that is rarely used in policymaking. Some of them are very well known in many places that aren't Minnesota. Rep. Willard Munger wisely held many informational hearings in which legislators and citizens could get up to speed on the latest research.