Ronder

Bill would require $30 permit to use state snowmobile trails
Associated Press
April 10, 2005 FEES0411



A bill being considered by the Minnesota Legislature would require all snowmobilers using state trails to purchase a $30 sticker permit, eliminating a perk that for years has been free to registered snowmobile owners.
Now, only out-of-state riders have to buy sticker permits and they cost $15 a year.

The state reimburses snowmobile clubs for grooming and marking trails, but money from snowmobile registration, nonresident trail stickers and part of Minnesota's gas tax hasn't brought in enough revenue to pay for trail maintenance.

Two years of below-average snowfall has contributed to the drop in funding, prompting the state and snowmobile clubs to seek additional revenue sources.

"Frankly, some of the reimbursement to our snowmobile clubs has been inadequate,'' said Doug Franzen, a lobbyist for the Minnesota United Snowmobilers Association, who testified last week in support of the bill before both the Senate and House Environment and Natural Resources committees. "We would like the reimbursement to be more reflective of the costs.''

Because it's hard to determine how many snowmobilers would purchase the stickers, it isn't known how much money would be generated by the fee increase.

Several other states already require snowmobilers to buy trail stickers. In Wisconsin, about half of all registered snowmobile owners purchased a sticker last year. If half of Minnesota's approximately 280,000 registered snowmobile owners also obtain trail stickers, it would amount to more than $4 million. When out-of-state resident stickers are added, Franzen estimates the fee increase would generate a total of $6 million a year.

Franzen said reaction to the legislation authored by Sen. Tom Bakk, DFL-Cook, and Rep. Tom Hackbarth, R-Cedar, is mixed among association members.

"This issue has raised more discussion among our members than anything in a long time,'' he told the Senate committee on Wednesday.

Even Bakk questioned if the proposed fee was too high. "I've heard quite a bit of opposition to the $30 dollars from the people in my district,'' he said.

Both the House and Senate committees voted in favor of the legislation, which will be considered next by House and Senate Finance committees, where there likely will be additional negotiations regarding the exact cost of the trail sticker.

Hackbarth said it is important that snowmobile clubs have enough money to keep the trails safe and properly maintained.

"I don't think the Twin Cities folks who are going up north realize how much it is costing these clubs to groom the trails,'' he said. "I think (passing the legislation) is something we have to do to keep our trails groomed up north.''