Minn. GOP: Dayton's Shutdown Plans Political
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) -- Republican legislative leaders say Gov. Mark Dayton's court filing in preparation for a possible state government shutdown is a "political document" and that a July 1 shutdown could still be averted.
But leaders of the Legislature's Republican majority say Wednesday they're still not willing to meet Dayton's demand that the state spend more than $34 billion in the next two years. That would require a tax increase or some other new revenue source, which Republicans continue to oppose.
Dayton filed a court petition Wednesday laying out services he says must be preserved if the shutdown happens.
Republicans said they wish Dayton would put more energy into budget negotiations than shutdown preparations. Dayton and the Republican leaders planned to meet Wednesday afternoon for their first face-to-face talks in a full week.
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