Last week the State House of Representatives passed a bill that would greatly expand the size and scope of the fund for
bonuses to workers on the front lines of the Covid-19 pandemic.
At the end of the 2021 legislative session, the legislature created a pool of $250 million to pay bonuses to those frontline workers. A working group of legislators from the House and Senate, as well as people from Governor Walz’s office was created to decide who would be eligible for the bonuses and how much they would be paid. However, that group was unable to reach an agreement on ether of those items, and so the fund has remained, with no bonuses issued. Republicans have said checks of about $1500 should go to those from the health care field, while Democrats have sought to expand that to workers who were labeled as “essential” during the state lockdown.
Representative Todd Lippert said the House bill adds $750 million to the pool and expands the eligibility for the bonuses to workers from across the economy.
The issue has now been tied to a Republican initiative to repay the unemployment insurance trust fund, which is now $1 billion dollars in debt after payments were expanded over the last two years for those displaced by the pandemic.
Lippert said the DFL concerns about the Republican plan are about money going to the largest companies, many of whom have thrived during the pandemic.
“So, for example, Amazon would get $1.6 million a year. Walmart would get $6 million a year in their plan. And we have real concerns about large amounts of money in their plan going to large corporations. In contrast, we’ll be focusing on workers and families and working on ways we can support those who need the most right now.”
Both the DFL controlled House plan and the GOP controlled Senate plan would be paid for by money from the state budget surplus, which some are estimating could reach $10 billion.
Jeff Johnson’s full conversation with Representative Todd Lippert can be heard here
Farmington Republican Cordes announces candidacy for Senate
The newly drawn Senate District 58 has its first candidate for the coming election this fall. Farmington resident Jake Cordes announced his candidacy for the Republican nomination for the newly created seat last week. He will run on a platform of economic prosperity, public safety, and education. Once elected, he said, he will work to enact what he called “common sense, conservative policies,” because he believes that is what is best for the state and its citizens.
Cordes is a former member of the Farmington School Board. Elected while he was still a Senior at the University of St. Thomas in 2012, he served two terms before stepping away in 2020. He worked in sales and project management for Thompson Reuters for just over ten years. Currently he is a Business Development Specialist with Farmington based Finch & Daisy Consulting.
Cordes also served as the Republican Chair for the former House District 58B and served as a School Board representative to the Economic Development Authority for the City of Farmington.
A lifelong Farmington resident, Cordes said he is eager to represent the district in the Senate telling the Farmington Sun This Week, “I want to give back to our community and represent our interests in St. Paul, and I want families and businesses to succeed in Minnesota.”
Earlier this month a committee of state judges released the newly drawn House, Senate and Congressional districts across the state. Northfield, which had been split over District 20, represented by Republican Senator Rich Draheim, and District 58 represented by Republican Senator Zach Duckworth, now sits completely in the new District 58. Neither Draheim nor Duckworth live within in the newly drawn district boundaries, leaving the district without an incumbent. Draheim announced last week that he will seek a third term in the Senate, this time representing the newly drawn District 22. Duckworth, who is serving his first term, will almost certainly seek re-election in District 57.
There is no word yet on any potential DFL candidates for District 58.
Council will discuss support of Main Street Revitalization grant, passenger rail study
The Northfield City Council will meet tomorrow night in the Council Chambers at City Hall. 
After voting on a consent agenda that includes, among other things the approval of liquor license and vehicle-for-hire license renewals, the council will work from an agenda containing only two items.
The first will be a resolution voicing support for a Mainstreet Revitalization Grant from the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development to the Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation. The second item on the agenda will be a resolution of support for the use of state general funds to support s study centered on establishing regional passenger rail service between South Central Minnesota and the Twin Cities.
As always, the City Council and the Northfield City Staff are eager to hear the opinions of the public on any matter whether the subject is on the Council agenda or not. There is time allotted at each meeting for the public to address the council on any topic an individual sees fit. Those who do not wish to address the council directly are encouraged to email their councilor or make use of the eComment function which can be found in the “Agendas” section of the city website.
The meeting will begin tomorrow night at 6:00.
Rich Larson is the KYMN News Director. Contact him at rich@kymnradio.net
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