ending gas tax funding
of motorized recreation

Most Minnesotans, including elected officials, do not understand that every time we buy gas in Minnesota, we pay into accounts for snowmobiles, ATVs, dirt-bike motorcycles, four-wheel drive trucks and motorboats.

Despite the fact that Minnesota's Constitituion dedicates 100% of the state's gas tax to roads, $188 million in gas tax revenue was diverted from the state's roads and bridges to promote motorized recreation since 1994!  A 2008 legislative increase in the state gas tax increased diversions to motorized recreation to $42 million/biennium!  No wonder quiet places are getting harder to find and protect.  Its hard to compete with motorized recreation’s $20 million/year gas tax powered budget. 

Gas tax diversions subsidize DNR’s Trails and Waterways Division that promotes motorized recreation access to public and private land.  Gas tax funding generates a host of well-documented unwanted effects on our environment and quality of life. Some say the DNR division has turned our trails and waterways into raceways. 

Millions of dollars in gas tax revenue are annually diverted to snowmobile and ATV clubs, often funding trespass on private property and the bulldozing of wetlands.  Gas tax funds were involved in a snowmobile club’s pull-tab gambling turf war with the American Legion.

MRR campaigns to end gas tax diversions to motorized recreation on three fronts: Local, Legal and Legislative. Learn more about each of these campaigns to the left.

The best news is an opportunity to end these diversions resides in one’s local town or county board.

Gas tax funds are diverted to snowmobile and ATV clubs through
local governments which must pass annual funding resolutions.  Resolutions are approved without discussion or citizen input.  Resolutions can be voted down.  This is where “we the people” come in.
Happily, local government fiscal agents are also required, in their grant-in-aid agreements with the DNR, to meet a variety of program requirements (such as easements to cross private property) and federal, state and local regulations .

Many local governments, such as St. Louis County, are disbursing gas tax funds despite pervasive violations of program requirements.  MRR’s Citizen Audit program assists citizens in gathering data about and challenging gas tax funding of ATV and snowmobile routes at the local level.

Contact MRR to get involved in our Local, Legal and Legislative Campaigns to end gas tax diversions to motorized recreaiton.