Cultivating the grassroots: the Taxpayers League of Minnesota
Should taxpayers be expected to foot the bill for professional sports teams? While some diehard fans may say yes, most people see taxpayer-funded sports as a waste of their money. It's lucky for taxpayers, then, that groups like the Taxpayers League of Minnesota exist to monitor government waste and mobilize like-minded individuals and resources to fight against it.
In November, the Minnesota Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission released a report describing the positive economic impact of professional sports in Minnesota since 1961. The report came amidst an effort by the Commission to build a new $950 million football stadium for the Minnesota Vikings. The plan calls for heavy taxpayer investment, which Phil Krinkie, the president of the Taxpayers League of Minnesota, vows to fight in order to protect the interests of the taxpayers.
Krinkie and the Taxpayers League of Minnesota have begun a media outreach program to educate voters about how politicians are breaching their trust.
"There are two ways that we judge the effectiveness of any of our ad campaigns: one, does it accomplish the result we wanted; and two, does it get people talking?" Krinkie said, adding that the program has been a success on both counts.
Krinkie believes voters are much less likely to go along with a plan to use taxpayer dollars for professional sports once they're informed about previous examples of waste.
"Since an additional sales tax was levied on Hennepin County residents without the benefit of a public referendum, the voters have become much more aware of the direct and indirect costs of stadium construction and are much less likely to allow tax dollars to be used for another new sports venue," Krinkie said.
Since the ads hit the airwaves, the Vikings have been discussing the possibility of renovating the Metrodome instead of seeking a new, taxpayer-funded stadium. This tentative success shows just how important education and outreach is for taxpayer advocates.
Although the Taxpayers League focuses on state-level issues, it also assists the efforts of like-minded activists at the local level.
"The primary base of support of the Taxpayers League of Minnesota is our grassroots activists," Krinkie said. "Whether the focus is on tax-and-spending issues at the state capitol, or a construction boondoggle at the local level, we always keep our grassroots activists in mind."
The Taxpayers League's latest local involvement deals with the issue of a $24 million taxpayer-subsidized "sports and wellness center" in Farmington.
"Even with our limited resources and manpower, we were able to mobilize Taxpayers League members in the area, provide radio airtime for opponents of the plan, and connect local activists with state-level contacts."
The result? With an impressive 40 percent showing by district voters, they rejected the sports and wellness center by a 69 to 31 percent margin.
The Taxpayers League of Minnesota will continue to fight against wasteful government spending in 2008 by expanding its network of activists and educating voters on the proper role of government.
