Minnesota Government Still Frozen

With parts of Minnesota government closed for a fifth day, top legislators vowed Tuesday to complete a state budget by the weekend -- and get 9,000 locked-out employees back to work.

Nearly one in five state workers have been idled since Friday, when the deadline for enacting a new budget passed without key components in place. Unlike some other states, Minnesota has no law that keeps the previous budget in force if a new one isn’t passed.

Minnesota had never before had to suspend services because of a budget dispute. The last state government shutdown was in Tennessee in 2002.

“My hope and prayer is that by week’s end you will not be able to see 201 state legislators because of the dust of us heading toward home,” said state Senate Majority Leader Dean Johnson.

The largest number of idled workers, about 4,000, are with the transportation department, affecting such services as driver’s license renewals.

Republican Gov. Tim Pawlenty and an almost evenly divided Legislature have been unable to agree on how much to spend on schools and government health insurance, and whether to raise taxes or expand casino gambling to pay for it all.

Johnson met privately with Pawlenty’s senior aides, Republican House Speaker Steve Sviggum and other legislative leaders.

Although they didn’t reach a deal, Johnson and Sviggum expressed a determination to forge one.

As soon as the framework of a budget deal is in hand, Sviggum said the House would pass a temporary spending measure that would let affected employees return to work.

The departments of Health, Human Services, Transportation and Education are among those operating with slimmer staffs and offering only those services deemed critical for protecting health, safety and public property.