By Charlie Warner
Argus Editor
I used to attend the Minnesota State Fair every year when I was growing up. Living just 50 miles west of the Twin Cities, the community I lived in lined up a bus to take us all in to St. Paul and the fair. Granted, this was nearly 40 years ago, but for $10 I could have a great time.

Several years ago my wife, daughter and I attended the "Great Minnesota Get-Together." I figured a Ben Franklin would cover the day. I guess it did, but just barely. Talk about sticker shock - $100 for an afternoon at a fair!!! This past week I received an op-ed piece authored by Phil Krinkie, who is president of the Minnesota Taxpayers League. Phil really hit the nail on the head with this piece. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

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We may have a great State Fair in Minnesota, but the cost of attending the "Great Minnesota Get Together" is getting pretty steep. The admission price to our State Fair this year climbed to $11, thatís more than Wisconsinís, Iowaís and Oklahomaís, let alone bigger states like New York and California.

I remember the days of the $3 admission and the 50 cent snow cone. But itís not just the price of admission, or the on-site parking which will cost you nine bucks, itís the temptations that lurk inside the gate. Who can pass on those chocolate chip morsels, Sweet Marthaís Cookies at $13 a bucket or a dozen tiny donuts for $3?

Maybe itís real food you want, so you are willing to reach into your pocket for a turkey leg for $5? Disregard the fact that at Thanksgiving you can buy a whole turkey for about $10, if not get one free with some grocery store promotion. And of course, there is the old stand by, the Pronto Pup, the original food on a stick, which is now up to $3 and when you add the large pop itís another $3.50.

Then thereís that great Minnesota favoriteÖ "All the milk you can drink" for one dollar. I may be showing my age, but I remember and it was not that long ago, this same all you can drink stand was just a dime! A ten fold increase in the price of milk, thatís pretty outrageous in a dairy state.

My point is our State Fair is no longer a place for the average Minnesota family to spend an enjoyable and affordable summer afternoon. Life takes VISA and so does Ticketmaster, which is a good thing since most of the Grandstand shows cost about $40 a ticket.

To stroll around the 300 acre fairgrounds the average family needs a hefty bankroll. Just stop for a moment to total up a trip to the Great Minnesota Get-Together for Mom, Dad and two kids.

#1: ParkingÖ$9 (still beats the 30 minute shuttle bus ride).

#2: Getting in the gate... 2 adults @ $11 = $22 + 2 kids @ $8 = $16 for a total of $38.

#3: Normal State Fair weather 95 degrees, 4 bottled waters @ $2.50 = $10.

#4: First food stop, mini donutsÖ2 bags @ $3 = $6.

#5: Mom insists the kids have some real foodÖ2 foot long hot dogs @ $4 and 2 large pops at $3.50 for a total of $17.

#6: Now Mom & Dad need to eatÖ2 pork chops on a stick and 2 beers = $18.50.

#7: Kids want to go on some ridesÖa book of tickets yields 3 rides each = $20.

#8: Sweet Marthaís Cookies for the familyÖ$13.

#9: The bargain of the dayÖAll the milk you can drink for the family so that you can wash down those cookies = $4.

#10: State Fair memoriesÖA stuffed animal for your daughter and a baseball poster for your son, approximate cost = $18.50.

One day of fun at the Fair totals about $150.

Youíre tired, you havenít really gotten to see or do much, youíve walked three miles and you smell like a corn dog, you have a sugar high and an empty wallet, whatís wrong with this picture?

Letís face it, the State Fair is no longer about who made the best apple pie, or canned pickles, itís a commercial venture to see which vendor can make the most money in 12 days. The State Horticulture Society has turned our Great Minnesota Get-Together into the Great "Letís Get Them" adventure. Yes, machinery hill is still there along with the animal barns, the 4H building and the craft exhibits, but thatís not what the State Fair Board is selling. They are selling the grandstand shows, food on a stick and every other commercial product known to mankind from feather dusters to soot blasters.

Itís time for the state Legislature to do one of two things:

A) Admit that the State Fair is a commercial venture and privatize the operations, just like Valley Fair; or

B) Charge the State Fair Board (which is a government entity and a state institution) to return the State Fair to its intended purpose; a show-case for creative arts and a promotional opportunity of Minnesotaís agricultural sector.

If the later option is chosen, the State Fair should be more than an exotic food frenzy or a giant flea market. The State Fair Board should forget about the take and work to make our State Fair truly a family affair, one that is memorable and affordable for the vast majority of Minnesotans.ÝÝ

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