Ask the Candidates

Snowmobile Day – October 29, 2022

Snowmobile Day is a day to celebrate the snowmobiling community and begin preparations for the upcoming season. Snowmobile clubs and dealers are planning fun, family festival type events that may include refreshments, music, vintage display, safety classes and/or an open house that will get snowmobilers excited for the upcoming season. Planning a Snowmobile Day celebration is a perfect opportunity to bring enthusiasts together in kicking off the season and enjoying the snowmobile family lifestyle. This is a great opportunity for clubs and associations to increase membership and recruit volunteer for trail activities.

Clubs that are participating in Snowmobile Day should let MnUSA know what you have planned so your event can be promoted on MnUSA’s Facebook page and website. Also, take photos and submit your event as Club News in this publication.

MnUSA Announces its 2022 Award Programs

At Winter Rendezvous 2023, MnUSA will be recognizing snowmobilers for their contributions to our great winter sport! This year we will be presenting six awards: • Snowmobiler / Snowmobile Family of the Year • Unsung Hero • Young Snowmobiler of the Year • Dealer of the Year • Snowmobile Club of the Year • Groomer of the Year

Our trail system exists today because off our dedicated network of volunteers. This is a great opportunity to recognize and thank those snowmobilers that contribute so much for our sport – PROTECTING YOUR TRAILS. Deadline for nominations is November 30, 2022. Application forms can be found on MnUSA’s website – www.mnsnowmobiler.org.

MnUSA News

Ask the Candidates

To help Minnesota snowmobilers make the best informed decisions about the various candidates, we have sought out the candidate’s opinions on our issues. The results can be seen below.

Due to space limitations, many explanatory comments have been omitted from the print version of the survey as referenced with an asterisk. However, all responses INCLUDING COMMENTS are shown as written on our website—www. mnsnowmobiler.org.

Take a moment to see if the candidates in your district have responded. If they have, call or send a note thanking them. Even if they disagree with our position, these people have taken the time to think about our issues and care enough about snowmobiling to share their thoughts. If your candidates haven’t responded, ask them why.

Most importantly, support those candidates who support snowmobiling! Note that we have bipartisan support. Help them out, put out a lawn sign and VOTE. Snowmobiling will stay strong as long as we care enough to be involved.

If you are not sure who will represent you with the redistricting, go to https://www.gis.lcc.mn.gov/iMaps/districts/. You will then need to click on “find your new House district” (in the blue box) and then type in your address and the website will tell you which districts you reside in. For example, if your House district is 43A, your Senate district is 43. You can then see if your candidates have responded to the survey. Let’s have a big impact on this important election.

#1 Do you agree that the sport of snowmobiling is an essential part of Minnesota’s economic health, quality of life and tourism industry?

#2 Will you oppose any effort to divert funds from the Snowmobile Dedicated Account for nonsnowmobiling purposes?

#3 Will you resist any legislative attempt to reduce the 1% unrefunded gas tax allocated to the snowmobile dedicated account? #4 Will you support at least 60% of the user fees paid by snowmobilers be earmarked for local grantin-aid trails?

#5 Do you support a portion of the Parks and Trails Legacy Funds to go to trails that benefit snowmobiling?

#6 Will you support efforts to protect and accommodate trail crossings for newly publicly funded rail developments? #7 Will you support further reform in statutory penalties for unlawful trespass behavior if the penalty increases prove inadequate to protect landowners?

#8 Do you support a sales tax exemption for building materials used to construct and maintain snowmobile trails?

#9 Do you have any other ides on how to achieve adequate funding for Minnesota’s snowmobile trails?

Candidate Sen. Mark Johnson Rep. John Burkel James Sceville Rep. Debra (Deb) Kiel Andrea Zupancich Roger J. Skraba Rep. Rob Ecklund Natalie Zeleznikar Rep. Mary Murphy Rob Kupec Dan Bohmer John Hest Sen. Paul J. Utke Gregg Hendrickson Steve Samuelson Rick Blake Robert Farnsworth Becky Hall Jeff Dotseth Rep. Nathan Nelson Rep. Paul H. Anderson Office District #1 #2 #3 #4 #5 #6 #7 #8 #9 Senate 01 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes * Yes House 01A Yes* Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes * Yes * House 01A Yes* Yes* Yes* * Yes* Yes* Yes* Yes* * House 01B Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Senate 03 Yes* Yes Yes Yes* Yes Yes No* Yes* * House 03A Yes* Yes* Yes* Yes* Yes* Yes* Yes* Yes * House 03A Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes * House 03B Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes * House 03B Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes * Senate 04 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes * Senate 04 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes House 04B Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes * Senate 05 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes House 05B Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Senate 06 Yes* Yes* Yes* Yes* Yes* * Yes Yes * House 06A Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes * Senate 07 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes House 08B Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes House 11A Yes* Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes * House 11B Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes House 12A Yes Yes* Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes *