Everyone who shops in Hennepin County has helped pay for the new Twins ballpark. Now the question is whether young people in all parts of the county, rich and poor alike, should benefit from a portion of that tax -- as much as $2 million a year set aside for youth sports activities.
County commissioners disagreed on which way to go at their meeting Tuesday. Members who represent more urban areas advocated for a grant program for youth sports facilities based on need, while the two members from Hennepin's suburban and rural areas argued that their constituents deserve to benefit, too.
Commissioner Peter McLaughlin and board Chairman Mike Opat offered a proposal to have the Minnesota Amateur Sports Commission administer a grant program to help the county board distribute funds to "build, repair, renovate or expand youth sports facilities." The grants, which could be for as much as $500,000, would be awarded on the basis of need, "including in under-served communities and populations," as well as availability of non-county funds. Also taken into account would be a project's financial sustainability and any environmental improvements are included.
McLaughlin, whose district includes most of Minneapolis, said he had talked to parents in East African and Latino communities whose children badly want to play soccer but can't find fields. "This is fulfilling one of the promises that was laid out when the ballpark was proposed," he said. "We wanted to make sure there were benefits beyond professional baseball."
But Commissioners Jan Callison and Jeff Johnson, whose districts include cities like Edina and Minnetonka and rural areas like Greenfield and Rogers, balked at the need test for grants. Callison suggested the money could also be used to provide grants for children who can't afford to participate in sports. Johnson said his concern was that "most of the money will go to only one part of the county."
Opat said many suburban athletic facilities were "expansive and built when land was cheap ... I don't think this will be equitable across all seven districts." But he said he trusted the amateur sports commission -- which administers the state's Mighty Ducks program to leverage local money to support ice sports -- to fairly handle the program.
For a contract of no more than $60,000, the commission would advertise the program, screen the first round of applications and give the county board a ranked list of applicants. County board members would make the final decisions. To apply, local youth sports groups would have to partner with local units of government, such as cities, park systems or school districts.
Opat said Callison's proposal would dilute the money's impact by spending it on individuals instead of facilities that could be used for years. But Callison said she believed the board must "look at using funds for access to equalize" impact across the county.
