ST. CLOUD (AP) - A new state commission will recommend how lawmakers should spend parks and trails money outside of the Twin Cities metro area.

The Greater Minnesota Regional Parks and Trails Commission is meant to give the rest of the state a greater say in how Legacy Amendment tax dollars are spent when it comes to outdoors projects.

Similar commissions overseeing other pots of Legacy money have a big influence on which projects are funded with the special 3/8th cent sales tax.

Gov. Mark Dayton appointed the 13 members of the new commission last month. The panel is expected to meet for the first time in coming weeks. One of its first orders of business will be to craft a master plan to guide its recommendations.

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