Big budget surplus prompts renewed push by Democrats to expand COVID bonuses for front-line workers

Democrats want more than the already-approved 250 million dollars for front-line worker COVID bonuses, now that the state has a massive budget surplus:

“Absolutely.”

…says House Democratic Majority Leader Ryan Winkler about increasing the bonus amount and the number of workers who are eligible.  Governor Tim Walz says:

“Still feel very strongly about this.  I think that that conversation maybe now is broader.  We’ll see.  But I think we should still get that done.  It was a promise we made to folks.”

But House Republican Minority Leader Kurt Daudt (DOWT) says:

“It’s amazing to me that we can’t just keep the front-line worker money for front-line workers.   Democrats have thrown in so many other special interest groups, that frankly that money’s gonna be so diluted….  That’s not helping anyone.”