Minnesota May Boost Cash Grants For Low-Income Families

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Minnesota's cash grant for low-income families could increase for the first time in nearly 30 years.

A family of three receives about $532 per month. Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton and some lawmakers in both parties want to increase the grants by $100 to help the nearly 33,000 families in the program deal with rising housing and transportation costs.

The proposal could stall in the state House, where leaders want to slim health and human services spending. House Health and Human Services Finance Committee chairman Rep. Matt Dean, R-Dellwood, says he and other legislators have "tough decisions" ahead about what to fund.

Increased funding for the Minnesota Family Investment Program would siphon money from other services. The state would have to cover the gap of about $68 million over two years.