At Issue: March 6 — Budget surplus swells to $9.25B; one-on-one with Dr. Neil Shah

A new budget forecast is now projecting Minnesota’s surplus at $9.25 billion, another huge increase after the Office of Management and Budget projected a $7.7 billion surplus back in November. But Management and Budget Commissioner Jim Schowalter said the war in Ukraine is fueling economic uncertainty.

Gov. Tim Walz wants to triple his earlier proposal of sending direct payments back to Minnesotans, while Republicans want to slash taxes to avoid future surpluses of this magnitude.

The parade of Minnesota governor hopefuls continues as political newcomer Dr. Neil Shah joins “At Issue” for a one-on-one interview.

Plus, legislators, advocates and former pro athletes met last week to honor State Sen. David Tomassoni and highlight the challenges faced by all those battling ALS. The group is looking to push a proposal through the Legislature that would fund ALS caregiver programs and research and service grants.