Shutdown Roundup: Eventful Weekend but No Deal Yet

This weekend was an eventful one in the ongoing struggle to prevent a government shutdown of Minnesota state services.

Halting Progress
Gov. Mark Dayton met with the Republican leadership on Saturday and, according to Session Daily, reached consensus on a number of issues including state government finance, K-12 education, transportation, public safety, jobs and economic development.

But while it appears they made progress, there is still cause for concern. Sunday talks ended just 60 minutes into discussion and both Dayton and lawmakers avoided the media, Forbes reported.

The parties are searching for common ground in their proposed state budgets, which differ by $1.8 billion. Dayton is hoping to tax the highest-earning 2 percent of Minnesotans, while the Republican leadership is staunchly opposed to any new taxation.

Construction Halt
Elsewhere in Minnesota, the looming shutdown has left construction crews across the state working overtime to ensure road safety by finishing projects that would otherwise have been completed after July 1.

Finance & Commerce reported that MnDOT has given the green light for crews to work “longer-than-usual workdays and unscheduled weekend work to make sure road projects are (prepared) in the event of a shutdown.”

MnDOT is just one of many state departments hoping to avoid an expensive long-term shutdown.

MPR News reported that a state government shutdown could cost millions of dollars in lost productivity, delays and financial penalties. Here is a comprehensive list of costs associated with the shutdown.

The View from Fridley
Meanwhile on Monday morning if state government shuts down.

One example: city staff would have to take responsibility for maintaining traffic signals on state highways.

Here's how it looks to Fridley City Manager William Burns:

I don’t think it’s as much one thing as it is a whole bunch of little partnerships which cities have with the State. We work day in and day out with state agencies on a wide variety of things. Many of the things we do in partnership, will be come the full responsibility of the City if the state shuts down.