Minnesota lawmakers find out this morning (915am) whether the state’s projected 1.3-billion-dollar budget surplus holds up. Speculation is that this latest economic forecast might show somewhat of a drop in the surplus, but that it could still be over a billion dollars. One question is whether the expected international economic effects of the coronavirus outbreak will factor into state lawmakers’ budget decisions. House Democrats wants to beef up early childhood education, while Senate Republicans want tax cuts. Governor Tim Walz wants the “rainy day” budget reserve to remain fully charged. He and Democrats also want an aggressive bonding bill for state public works projects, but Republicans are talking about a much smaller number.