ST. PAUL (LEARFIELD) – Governor Tim Walz wants 30 million dollars from the budget surplus to further expand broadband Internet access in Greater Minnesota, over and above the 40 million dollars that lawmakers approved last year.

“That would hit what the requests were that came in on the shortfall that we had, that’s probably about right,” said Gov. Walz. “This has been really well thought out, the rural broadband folks have done a really nice job on the economics of it on what it takes to do it, so that’s probably about right.”

Republican leaders weren’t immediately available for comment.  They said earlier their goal is to give back to taxpayers as much of the surplus as possible.