'Yes' men pull for the environment

Campaign promoting Minnesota’s Clean Water Amendment

By Lee Bonorden (Contact) | Austin Daily Herald

Published Monday, August 18, 2008

Ken Martin and Charlie Poster are “yes” men.

“Vote Yes Minnesota,” that is.

Martin is the campaign manager for the “Vote Yes Minnesota” effort to convince the state’s voters to approve the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment Nov. 4.

The word “no” is not in their vocabulary as the 2008 State General Election day draws closer.

“It’s only 81 days away,” Martin said.

The amendment will provide funding to ensure safe drinking water sources, protect wildlife habitat, preserve dwindling natural areas and, in total, protect Minnesota’s great outdoors.

If — Martin would say “when” — its approved, the amendment would increase the state’s sales and user tax rates beginning July 1, 2009 by three-eighths of 1 percent on taxable sales until 2034.

The funding would be dedicated; it couldn’t be touched for any other purpose by the state.

Everybody seems to think the amendment to the state constitution is necessary.

Former Gov. Wendell Anderson wrote in a Star Tribune editorial, “We are nearing a tipping point in the fight to preserve what we enjoy today for future generations.

“Funding for clean water, access to the outdoors, arts access and education, and our parks and trails is at or near 30-year lows,” Anderson noted. “Forty percent of Minnesota’s tested waters are polluted. One million acres of open land are set to be lost over the next 25 years.”

It is Martin’s job to see that opportunity does not go ignored.

“We’re going around southern and south central Minnesota today to talk to folks about the amendment,” Martin said in an interview Thursday. “We want to make sure people know what’s at stake this November.

“That’s one of the biggest challenges for the campaign,” he said.

Only four races will be above the amendment question: presidential, congressional and State House of Representatives races.

“We feel confident if people hear about this amendment and what’s at stake and what this funding will do to protect our quality of life and the things we care about, they will vote ‘yes,’” Martin said.

Poster is concerned people will ignore the amendment question. That would be devastating if too many voters do that.

“Not voting at all on the question will be considered a ‘no’ vote,” Poster warned.

The Vote Yes Minnesota committee has been aggressively pursuing its mission to educate voters across the state.

Martin and other committee members were bobbing in their boats on the Pelican Lake waters at Breezy Point during the governor’s fishing opener, waving “Vote Yes” signs at Tim Pawlenty.

They have handed out thousands of red and white “Vote Yes” fishing bobbers at county fairs and last week’s Game Fair at Anoka.

Their spokespeople show a video featuring former governors Anderson and Arne Carlson and others all extolling how the amendment can rescue the state’s quality of life.

“Is the campaign working?” is an obvious question to ask.

“I think so,” Martin said. “We are fortunate to have more than 300 organizations from a wide swath of Minnesota, who support this amendment,” he said. “Those folks have been great in getting the word out to their members.

“What we need to do is talk to people who aren’t members of the Ikes, who aren’t members of Pheasants Forever, but who are conservationists at heart,” he said. “People who care about the land, the water, the habitat and the arts. Those are the people we need to get our message to.”

“We need to let them know the things we really cherish and value in this state — the waters, the land — those are what’s on the ballot this November and we have a great opportunity to make sure the traditions we all grew up with are passed on the future generations,” Martin added.