Shutdown Showdown: Koch Finds a Bit of Hot Water as Deadline Looms in Budget Debate

The political arena in Minnesota on Wednesday was filled with potential, plans and posturing but ostensibly little progress closing the $1.8 billion gap that separates Gov. Mark Dayton and GOP lawmakers from a budget deal.   

As she sat in on talks with the governor, Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch was embroiled in a bit of a controversy, as state workers criticized an e-mail released by the Republican Majority in the Legislature outlining their deals, and how the majority wanted people to "keep working." 

At around 9:30 p.m. Wednesday the parties concluded what, by all accounts, was their final round of budget negotiations of the day without an agreement. That means at least a partial shutdown will begin today. 

Rest areas on major highways were already closing Thursday. The Minnesota Department of Transportation also began pulling crews from non-essential roadwork sites. 

According to tweets from Star Tribune political reporter Rachel Stassen-Berger, House Majority Leader Matt Dean (R, District 52B) has said the parties are “very very close on many issues” and that it would be “difficult to explain a government shutdown.”

Moreover, Deputy Senate Majority Leader Geoff Michel (R-Edina) told Stassen-Berger after the meeting that the parties have made progress on “almost every deal.”    

Thursday, meetings began at 10 a.m. The same people that have been hammering away since last Friday were in the Governor's office again, hopefully breaking some of the walls between the two sides. 

Lawmakers and the governor met Wednesday morning from 9-10:30 a.m. and quietly adjourned before slipping out a back door without offering a statement or status update. 

Meetings at 12:30 p.m., 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. finished much the same way.

MinnPost reported that unless a late-night deal is made, Republican legislators are planning to “march on St. Paul” Thursday morning to demonstrate to the public their willingness to work.   
The Latest in Layoffs

While Judge Kathleen Gearin’s decision yesterda ( was welcomed by Dayton and other DFLers, MPR News put it in context by outlining the number of active employees various state agencies and organizations will have at 12:01 a.m. on Friday if no agreement is reached.

• Dept. of Corrections: 3,601
• Dept. of Employment & Economic Development: 696
• Dept. of Education: 6
• Dept. of Health: 189
• Dept. of Human Services: 5,165
• Dept. of Labor & Industry: 32
• Dept. of Military Affairs: 150
• Dept. of Minnesota Managment & Budget: 183
• Minnesota Zoo: 150
• Dept. of Natural Resources: 220
• Pollution Control Agency: 13
• Dept. of Public Safety: 1,031
• Dept. of Revenue: 43
• Dept. of Transportation: 217
• Dept. of Veteran’s Affairs: 980

Politicians Behaving Badly
In a move that several state employees said was inappropriate, House Speaker Kurt Zellers and Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch sent an email to thousands of workers regarding the budget, it was reported on Monday on the Star Tribune website.

The email read: "You can be sure about one thing: Our budget keeps state agencies open on July 1 and state employees will continue getting paychecks beyond June 30.”

It continued: "We agree with the Pioneer Press editorial from Sunday, June 26, that characterized Governor Dayton's negotiations as 'This is not a compromise. This is hostage taking.' Governor Dayton promised as a candidate to not shut down government, and he reiterated that pledge during his State of the State Address this year."

After state employees and a public employees union criticized the sending of the letter, both Koch and Zellers said they had done nothing wrong.