Shutdown Showdown: Latest and Local News on State Government

Here are some links and the latest, local information on the state budget battle and the impending state government shutdown, which would occur if the two sides involved don’t come to an agreement by July 1. More on the Whys and What-ifs here at Minnesota Public Radio.

The Latest
Ramsey District Court Chief Judge Kathleen Gearin on June 23 heard the first arguments from Dayton’s special counsel for the shutdown, David Lillehaug, and Minnesota Attorney General Lori Swanson. The atmosphere was contentious as the two sides battled to determine which government services would remain functional in the event of a shutdown, according to MinnPost.  

According to the Associated Press, the crux of the debate revolves around who has the right to determine which services will remain functional. Dayton released his list of essential services earlier this week but Swanson is fighting to ensure that a court, not the governor, makes the ultimate decision—something Judge Gearin has repeatedly said she will not do.  

Gearin also added to the drama with two late rulings yesterday afternoon.

First, she denied Dayton’s motion for an independent mediator to help break the budget impasse, it was reported in KSTP. Second, according to FOX 9, She also rejected motions from four GOP state senators who argued that the Minnesota constitution prohibits the courts from getting in involved in the state budget battle.

Perhaps Gearin’s biggest challenge is wading through what she has called “a tsunami of paperwork.” Between June 13-23 Gearin received 99 separate petitions, motions and affidavits pertaining to the matter at hand. All told, she will have to consider 726 pages of legal documentation—and that is only if no other paperwork is filed—before ruling on the matter next week.

A complete list of documentation filed in the case can be found here.  

Local Shutdown Reaction
Wright County leaders, meeting Tuesday, said they're still tussling with what will and won't be impacted by the shutdown, and probably won't know until the courts decided what is and is not essential. 

The county's health and human services department, including facets of Wright County Public Health, relies heavily on state funding. County Chair Jack Russek said last meeting he's concerned about the operation, which has a central hub in the former Buffalo J.C. Penney.

Sheriff Joe Hagerty, of St. Michael, said the shutdown could cause a "backlog" of cases in the Wright County court system, and he's concerned some suspects accused of lesser crimes might be able to "walk."

A complete report on last week's meeting, courtesy of pool reporter John Holler, can be found here.