The word “No” isn’t in Ken Martin’s vocabulary.

Steve Morse and Lance Ness never say “No.”

Neither does Sheila Smith, Jim Stiles, Merlene Stiles, Scott Anderson and anyone else on the Vote “Yes” Express.

Not when Minnesota’s water, land and way of life are at stake.

Not when the state’s arts and culture could suffer.

Not when a group of zealous Vote “Yes” advocates wave signs and say the “Minnesota you love” is at risk.

Minnesotans will go to the polls Tuesday, Nov. 4, to vote on the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment.

If approved — the Vote “Yes” Express advocates would say “When approved” — the state constitutional amendment will increase the sales and use tax rate, beginning July 1, 2009, by three-eighths of one percent on taxable sales until the year 2034.

Approximately $300 million a year of dedicated funding is at stake.

More than 80 percent of the funding will be directed toward clean water, wildlife habitat and natural areas, according to the supporters.

Less than 20 percent will be directed to the arts and cultural resources.

The funding breakdown is: 33 percent to clean water, 33 percent to game, fish and wildlife habitat; 19.75 percent will go to arts and culture; and 14.25 percent will go to parks and trails.

All that has to happen is a majority of Minnesotans vote “Yes” for the amendment.

If they vote “No” or if they don’t vote for the amendment at all — that counts as a “No” vote, too — as they say, the “Minnesota you love” may be at risk.

The Vote “Yes” express passed through Mankato and Albert Lea before parking outside a downtown Austin business Tuesday afternoon.

Martin, the Vote “Yes” campaign manager, was the first to speak.

“We’re here to talk about what the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment will mean for Austin and Mower County,” Martin said. “As the election draws closer and there are only 14 days left, we want to remind people about the amendment and the legacy they have the opportunity to preserve for future generations.”

Ness, the campaign co-chair for Ducks Rally, said, “This is vital. This is a once in a lifetime chance to vote to preserve our legacy of the Land of 10,000 Lakes and the home of Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox and the other wonderful things that make Minnesota a great state.”

Ducks Rally helped the Vote “Yes” people get the Minnesota Legislature to approve placing the question on Nov. 4 ballots and represents a broad range of outdoors and sportsmen organizations, claiming more than 100,000 members, according to Ness.

“We have new generations coming, and we should be sure they enjoy the natural resources we enjoyed,” Ness said. “The forests, the lands, the lakes, the rivers. Everything.”

“Our group is solidly in support of the amendment,” said Morse, executive director for Minnesota Environmental Partnership, which represents more than 80 conservation groups and more than 450,000 Minnesotans.

“We’ve been working hard for this for years.”

“We’re very optimistic about what is going to happen Nov. 4,” Morse said. “We know Minnesotans in their values and believes are with us on this,” he said. “The important thing is they actually vote.”

Arts, too

The Vote “Yes” Express passengers included Smith, executive director of the Minnesota Commission for the Arts.

“This coalition has really come together,” Smith said. “We have a coalition of over 300 non-profits, civic and conservation groups, working on the amendment,”

“We’re all in this together,” Smith said. “Over 80 percent of the funding will go to conservation. The arts is the smallest part of the funding, but it’s going to be really important for the arts.”

Scott Anderson, manager for the Historic Paramount Theatre in Austin said the funding will directly impact the fine arts in Austin.

Anderson said funding is necessary to promote and continue arts in Austin.

“We have gotten grants in the past for the Paramount,” Anderson began, “Matchbox Children’s Theater, which is near and dear to my heart, serves kids in towns has also received grants.”

“Ellis Middle School has brought Artists in Residence to the community for the students,” he added.

“Yes, that funding is very, very important,” he said.

But clearly conservation and especially clean water are the amendment’s focal point.

“When the people of Austin and all of Mower County look at what this amendment can do for our area,” said Vote “Yes” advocate James Stiles, “It will be huge.”

“We have rivers and streams, which are all seriously impaired. They all have high amounts of e-coli and sediment runoff and this amendment will help address these issues as well as the issue of flooding.”

Merlene Stiles wouldn’t let parks and trails — the smallest funding element of the amendment — go ignored.

“We’re hoping the Shooting Star recreation trail will come to Austin from Rose Creek and Adams where it is being extended now,” the MEP activist said. “This amendment will help fund trails like that and get them completed.”

Governor Pawlenty will appoint a committee to oversee the distribution of the funds collected by the amendment.

According to Martin, a panel of eight citizens and four legislators will serve on a panel appointed to make recommendations to the legislative body charged with the actual distribution of the funds collected.

“There is legislative oversight, and we think it is important that citizen participation takes place,” Martin said.

An open application process will be a part of the method of distribution to target programs and areas of need.

“We do believe there is enough oversight,” Martin said. “The clean water people have oversight, the arts and culture people have oversight. We think it’s all good.”