Gov. Walz reveals $5B spending plan for children, families

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz has unveiled a wide-ranging spending plan that would fund several programs intended to help schools, children and their families.

The spending plan announced Tuesday is the third of his four-part supplemental budget plan rollout and would cost $5.1 billion over three years. It includes an expansion of access to child care and pre-K and free meals for students.

Paid family and medical leave, sick and safe time off for workers and a 2% increase in per-pupil funding for schools were also part of the proposal. Senate Republicans called Walz’s proposed package a “spending spree.”