Minnesota Government Shutdown Continues

Tuesday marked the fifth day of the Minnesota state government shutdown, as a limited array of government services and programs continued to operate while others remained suspended.
Minnesota Government Shutdown Continues
GOVERNMENT CLOSURES: A sign displayed on the door of the Minnesota Zoo in Apple Valley, Minn., reads that the facility is closed as the state began the broadest shutdown of state services in its history on July 1. (Hannah Foslien/Getty Images )
7/5/2011
Updated:
10/1/2015

<a><img src="https://www.theepochtimes.com/assets/uploads/2015/09/Minn1_117860057.jpg" alt="GOVERNMENT CLOSURES: A sign displayed on the door of the Minnesota Zoo in Apple Valley, Minn., reads that the facility is closed as the state began the broadest shutdown of state services in its history on July 1. (Hannah Foslien/Getty Images )" title="GOVERNMENT CLOSURES: A sign displayed on the door of the Minnesota Zoo in Apple Valley, Minn., reads that the facility is closed as the state began the broadest shutdown of state services in its history on July 1. (Hannah Foslien/Getty Images )" width="320" class="size-medium wp-image-1801366"/></a>
GOVERNMENT CLOSURES: A sign displayed on the door of the Minnesota Zoo in Apple Valley, Minn., reads that the facility is closed as the state began the broadest shutdown of state services in its history on July 1. (Hannah Foslien/Getty Images )
Tuesday marked the fifth day of the Minnesota state government shutdown, as a limited array of government services and programs continued to operate while others remained suspended.

State lawmakers returned to the negotiating table for the first time since Gov. Mark Dayton—of Minnesota’s Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party—and the Republican-led Legislature failed to agree on a state budget for the next two years.

A bipartisan group of “elder statesmen” Minnesota politicians, including former U.S. Vice President Walter Mondale (D) and former Minnesota Gov. Arne Carlson (R), helped encourage the lawmakers to end the government shutdown as soon as possible.

Mondale was a Minnesota state senator from 1964 to 1976 and later become Jimmy Carter’s vice president in 1977. Carlson served as the 37th governor of Minnesota from 1991 to 1999.

The second Minnesota government shutdown in six years began on July 1 after Dayton vetoed the Republicans’ proposed $34 billion budget, the latest move in an intense ideological battle within the Minnesota state government over spending and taxes. State legislators were trying to reduce a $5 billion budget deficit.

In addition to the latest offer of a reduced budget of $35.7 billion, Dayton called for tax and revenue increases targeting Minnesotans making over $1 million a year, which, according to Minnesota’s Department of Revenue, would have affected 7,700 Minnesotans.

The Republicans, meanwhile, refused to submit to tax increases (only forgoing a $200 million tax cut and adding that amount to spending) and remained steadfast in their commitment to not allow the budget to top $34 billion. The inability to bridge the gap of $1.4 billion between the DFL and Republican positions caused the government shut down last Friday.

Minnesotans are becoming increasingly restless as many government services remain shut. Judge Kathleen R. Gearin of the Ramsey County District Court ruled last Wednesday on which services would be allowed to operate.

Currently, state parks, highway rest stops, and horse racetracks remain closed, while the government remains unable to issue hunting and fishing licenses.

Essential health and human services continue to operate, along with state-funded K-12 education, colleges, and universities.