Politics & Government
ONGOING COVERAGE: State Government Reopening
Stay updated on news around the state after the historic state government shutdown ended.
July 27:
MinnPost: Minnesota's tax loopholes on automatic pilot
St. Cloud Times: Road projects restart
Star Tribune: DNR posts some ugly shutdown numbers
Star Tribune: School aid delay comes with some extra costs
Winona Daily News: State park reservations back online
July 26:
Austin Post-Bulletin: Health care providers, advocates feel budget sting
Bloomberg Businessweek: Dayton seeks assessment of default on Minnesota
The Minnesota Independent: SEIU, Wells Fargo exchanged letters on school loans before shutdown
Minnesota Public Radio: Reservations open today for state parks
Minnesota Public Radio: Group homes worry about law change hidden in budget bill
July 25:
Duluth News Tribune: First campers return to find Jay Cooke State Park in good shape
MinnPost: New budget fails to take on Minnesota's long-term problems
MinnPost: Dayton talks about the pivotal meeting with supporters that helped end the shutdown
Star Tribune: Tobacco bonds in Minnesota budget deal come at hefty price to future state budgets
Star Tribune: Empty campsites at Jay Cooke State Park for reopening weekend
St. Cloud Times: Minnesota budget: A closer look at the deal to end the shutdown
July 24:
National Review: Minnesota Isn’t America
Pioneer Press: Minnesota budget: A closer look at the deal to end the shutdown
Pioneer Press: St. Paul tightens belt as Minnesota state budget cuts aid
Twin Cities Daily Planet: 'Bank CEOs' cheer school-funding shift in state budget compromise
Star Tribune: Transit survives cutback scare
July 23:
Duluth News Tribune: Dayton receives warm welcome at building trades convention
KIMT-TV: Tourism Industry Ready for Business
KSTP-TV: MnDOT Restarts Road Projects After Shutdown
Minnesota Public Radio: Shutdown-related costs worry Minn. road contractors
Minnesota Public Radio: Minn. budget deal doesn't sit well with lay political watchers
Star Tribune: Transit survives cutback scare
July 22:
Bloomberg Businessweek: Minn. government reopening after 20-day shutdown
Duluth News Tribune: Slowly, state parks reopen after Minnesota shutdown
Kare 11: Beyond the Minn. budget drama painful cutbacks await
Kare 11: State workers return, add up 'losses'
MinnPost: New budget fails to take on Minnesota's long-term problems
Minnesota Public Radio: Looking back: State will rebound
Minnesota Public Radio: Special master says her job is done, steps down
Minnesota Public Radio: Did government deliver on jobs?
Pioneer Press: Minnesota: Most state parks reopen; fishing license sales resume
Star Tribune: State reopens: Relief, hard feelings
Star Tribune: Highway contractors irked by bill
July 21:
Albert Lea Tribune: Legislators relieved, but still worried about state’s future
Fox 9: MnPASS Lanes, Traffic Cams Back and Running
MinnPost: Minnesota's golden era of top credit ratings fades as uncertainty over fiscal disputes -- and future -- mount
Minnesota Public Radio: State employees return to work and backlogs
Minnesota Public Radio: State agencies opening and ramping up
Minnesota Public Radio: Shutdown could have political consequences for both parties
Pioneer Press: Minnesota state workers relieved by call back to the job
Pioneer Press: Minnesota Vikings stadium tabled by lawmakers; Team grumbles
Star Tribune: Minn. hangs 'We're Open' sign
Star Tribune: Budget deal means big changes for schools, health
July 20:
Associated Press: Minn. governor signs budget, ends state shutdown
Bloomberg: Minnesota Goes Back to Work as Politicians Gauge Shutdown Fallout
Fox 9: No Stadium Bill, Vikings ‘Assessing Options’
MinnPost: 2011 legislative debates segueing into beginning of 2012 campaign
Minnesota Public Radio: Cuts and compromise on environmental bill
Minnesota Public Radio: Health and human services budget cuts worry providers
Minnesota Public Radio: Lawmakers pass tax bill, borrowing on tobacco payments
Pioneer Press: Minnesota legislature on track to end shutdown today; Details of bills
Star Tribune: Dayton signs budget, shutdown ends
Star Tribune: State shutdown won't end instantly
July 19:
Bloomberg: Minnesota Shutdown, Wisconsin Recalls Show States Mirror Washington Split
Kare 11: Minn. Capitol to reopen Tuesday, budget still in the works
Kare 11: Gov't shutdown wreaks havoc on Minnesota roads
Minnesota Public Radio: GOP leaders ready four budget bills
Minnesota Public Radio (sidebar): At a glance: Details of the budget bills
Minnesota Public Radio: Shutdown erodes state's already-sullied reputation for good governance
Pioneer Press: 3 budget bills down, 6 to go
Reuters: Minnesota grinds budget details to end shutdown
Star Tribune: Secrecy reigns at State Capitol
Star Tribune: Deal reached on 4 spending bills
Wall Street Journal: The St. Paul Solution
July 18:
Duluth News Tribune: Minnesota budget bills make progress, but no special session yet
Minnesota Public Radio: No special session today: Lobbyists descend on Capitol
The Minnesota Independent: Abortion politics threaten to again derail budget agreement
MinnPost: Bogged down in budget details, two sides repeat a familiar refrain: 'We're close'
Pioneer Press: Dayton, Republicans working on agreement, but not ready to meet yet
Politico: Minnesota shutdown drags on
Reuters: Minnesota leaders report progress toward ending shutdown
Read this: Star Tribune: Chance for quick budget deal fades
Star Tribune: St. Anthony: Shutdown 'solution' comes with funny money
Star Tribune: Their paychecks stopped, but their work went on
July 17:
Business Week: With abrupt deal, Minn. shutdown still upsets many
Christian Post: Will Obama, Like Mark Dayton, Cede to Republican Pressure?
Duluth News Tribune (Opinion): Lawmaker's view: Once again, a budget based on gimmicks
Minnesota Public Radio: Dayton, GOP continue hammering out budget details
Pioneer Press: When will the state be open for business?
St. Cloud Times: State workers hesitant over tentative budget deal
Star Tribune: Painful deal delays day of reckoning
Star Tribune: Budget deal still not a done deal
July 16:
Kare 11: State still shut down... for now
Minnesota Public Radio: GOP leaders confident they have support for budget
Minnesota Public Radio: FAQ: How state services are affected by the budget framework
New York Times: Compromise in Minnesota Is Quick Fix on Budget
Pioneer Press: More delayed aid to schools helps plug Minnesota's budget gap
Politico: Mark Dayton: 'I didn’t give in'
Reuters: Minnesota shutdown adds stress to prisons
Reuters: Minnesota budget deal pushes problem down the road
Star Tribune: Elbow grease ahead for budget bill
Star Tribune: Vikings stadium deal has to wait
Video: Budget deal explained
July 15:
Associated Press: Minn. gov., GOP leaders have deal to end shutdown
Fox 9: Shutdown Halts Mental Health Check in Gun Permitting Process
Minnesota Public Radio: Budget deal draws criticism from education officials
Minnesota Public Radio: Business owners eager to see end of shutdown
Minnesota Public Radio: FAQ on the deal ending the state government shutdown
New York Times: Deal Is Made for Ending Shutdown in Minnesota
Pioneer Press: For some, hopefulness, relief and joy; for others, skepticism and dismay
Pioneer Press: Shutdown-shuttered DNR prevents potential record-breaking fish from being recognized
Politico: Deal reached to end Minnesota shutdown
Star Tribune: Dayton, GOP finally reach budget deal
Star Tribune: Without rest areas, truckers scramble to find rest
Washington Post: Minnesota governor, GOP lawmakers agree to end shutdown
July 14:
Associated Press: Minn. government shutdown puts lives on hold
Duluth News Tribune: Child care assistance restored; Duluth women's shelter closes
Fox 9: Shutdown Anger Grows as Lawmakers Talk, Don’t Meet
Minnesota Public Radio: Shutdown forces mental health crisis programs to cut services
Minnesota Public Radio: Several rank and file Republicans open door for more revenue
New York Times: Amid Minnesota Crisis, Pawlenty Faces Scrutiny
Pioneer Press: Horse track advocates fear long-term shutdown could destroy racing community in Minnesota
Star Tribune: MillerCoors kicked off state shelves
Star Tribune: Money flows again for some child care
Star Tribune: No license means no fishing, says Minnesota DNR
July 13:
Duluth News Tribune: Minnesota government shutdown: Judge extends loggers' access
Fox News: Minnesota Lawmaker Proposes Legislature Skip Paychecks
Minnesota Public Radio: Dayton continues state tour, waits for GOP counteroffer
Minnesota Public Radio: FAQ: Latest answers to shutdown questions
The New Republic: Lessons From Minnesota’s Government Shutdown About the Dismal, Irrational State of U.S. Politics
Pioneer Press: With restrooms closed by shutdown, problems pile up at Minnesota state parks
Reuters: Minnesota residents vent at politicians over shutdown
Star Tribune: One by one, bars get tapped out
Star Tribune: Shifting tactics, Dayton takes tax plan to the people
Wall Street Journal: Frustration Bubbles Up in Minnesota
July 12:
Associated Press: Minnesota shutdown stirs debate over who gets paid
Bloomberg: Target Scion Dayton’s Plan to Help Minnesota Shuts It Down
Kare 11: Lottery dollars pour into Wisconsin during Minnesota government shutdown
Mankato Free Press: Local historic sites losing prime time to shutdown
Minnesota Public Radio: Still no deal; Dayton hits road to put pressure on GOP
St. Cloud Times: Dayton's housekeeper, chef among 'essential' state employees in shutdown
Star Tribune: In some corners of the state, what shutdown?
Star Tribune: Dayton offer goes nowhere
Time Magazine: The Cost of Minnesota's Shutdown: A Warning to Washington
Washington Post: Minnesota shuts down — to Pawlenty’s benefit?
July 11:
Minnesota Public Radio: What's the budget fight about? $1.4 billion and much more
Minnesota Public Radio: Most state government work stopped, but partisan tweets in high gear
MinnPost: Several GOP legislators seem open to 'alternative' revenue proposals to solve budget impasse
MinnPost: Shutdown's damage to the Minnesota economy will be real, significant -- and incalculable
New York Times: Cautionary Lessons From State’s Shutdown
Politico: Shutdown? Minn. lawmakers still get paid
Star Tribune: Gridlock: Gut punch to businesses
Star Tribune: Schools face shutdown hassles
Star Tribune: Idled public employees holding on
Washington Post: No new talks scheduled as Minnesota’s government shutdown enters its 2nd week
July 10:
Austin Daily Herald: Concerns about shutdown grow
KIMT-TV: MN Shutdown Could Break the State's Own Record
Mankato Free Press: As area legislators see it, the shutdown is rooted in election results
Minnesota Public Radio: Little urgency to end Minn. government shutdown
NPR: For Minnesota Shutdown, A Deal Seems Distant
Pioneer Press: The numbers at the heart of the state budget standoff
Pioneer Press: Shutdown is longest on record
Star Tribune: More signs point to a lengthy siege
Star Tribune: 139 legislators are collecting paychecks during shutdown
Star Tribune: In GOP, a deep divide over hard line on budget
July 9:
Chicago Sun-Times: Shutdown in Minnesota racking up expenses
Kare 11: Budget talks adrift at Capitol as shutdown drags on
MinnPost: Minnesota's reputation taking a hit with government shutdown
Minnesota Public Radio: Shutdown's eighth day passes with no talks, no movement
Minnesota Public Radio: Voters sent mixed message, now disappointed with results
National Journal: Why Tim Pawlenty Is Embracing the Minnesota Budget Shutdown
New York Times: Shutdown in Minnesota Ripples Out to Day Care
Pioneer Press: Interpreters who aid disabled work without funding in shutdown
Star Tribune: GOP moves to block special funding
Star Tribune: Schools likely to bear brunt of a budget fix
July 8:
Bloomberg: Minnesota Shutdown May Cost State $23M Weekly
Bloomberg Business Week: Minnesota bond rating downgraded over budget woes
Kare 11: Shutdown shutting down some fundraising events
Minnesota Public Radio: If it lasts, shutdown could make history
Minnesota Public Radio: Dayton's essential staff
Pioneer Press: Minnesota government shutdown will slowly take toll on state's bottom line
Reuters: Some benefit from Minnesota state shutdown
Star Tribune: Top earners cool to paying more
Star Tribune: New plan: Raise taxes 'for everyone'
Wall Street Journal: Panel Offers a Budget Plan to End Minnesota Stalemate
July 7:
Associated Press: Minn. shutdown causes added pain, costs millions
Kare 11: Hundreds of state workers rally for a compromise
Minnesota Public Radio: Counties try to cope with effects of state shutdown
Minnesota Public Radio: Parents await ruling on child care assistance subsidy
Pioneer Press: Mondale, Carlson organize commission on shutdown
Star Tribune: Zellers: 'Things went backwards'
Star Tribune: Care for elderly, disabled starting to show strain
Star Tribune: Minnesota models the partisan divide
Wall Street Journal: No Progress in Minnesota Budget Stalemate
Washington Post: In Minnesota shutdown, workers who calculate the cost are laid off
Document: Gov. Dayton’s July 6 Offer to GOP
July 6:
Alexandria Echo Press: Budget talks resume with agreement to talk more
Computer World: Minnesota furloughs 75% of IT staff amid shutdown
Kare 11: Minn. budget talks resume, but deal remains elusive
KSTP-TV: Shutdown Forces St. Paul Concert Cancellation
Minnesota Public Radio: Zellers renews call for 'lights on' bill, says gambling a revenue option
Minnesota Public Radio: Mondale, Carlson organize commission on shutdown
MinnPost: Minnesota's nonprofits feel the pain of government shutdown
Star Tribune: Vandals trash closed state parks
Star Tribune: 'Same gulf' divides Dayton, GOP
Wall Street Journal: Pawlenty Fires Back Over Minnesota Shutdown
New York Times (Editorial): Antitax Extremism in Minnesota
July 5:
Alexandria Echo Press: Shutdown notebook: Closed parks first place people see shutdown
Fox 9: Arsonist Strikes Gov. Mark Dayton’s Former Home
Minnesota Public Radio: ABM launches shutdown ad campaign
Minnesota Public Radio: Lawmaker gets earful along parade route
Pioneer Press: Mondale, Carlson to weigh in on state government shutdown
Politico: Tim Pawlenty shutdown ad: 'Pawlenty won'
Salon: The roots of Minnesota's staring contest
Star Tribune: Sunny for the 4th, but still no thaw
Star Tribune: Time apart hasn’t lessened the rigid divide
Wall Street Journal: Minnesota Shutdown Continues; GOP Meets at Capitol
July 4:
The Business Times: Holiday weekend in Minnesota with state services idle
Kare 11: Businesses struggling in shutdown but still open
Kare 11: Minnesota Zoo back open, horse track still closed
Minnesota Public Radio: Marking July 4th during a government shutdown
Northland’s News Center: Tourists Hit Minnesota State Parks Despite Government Shut Down
Politico: Cooling-off period in Minnesota
Pioneer Press: Libertarians see opportunity in Minnesota shutdown
Pioneer Press: Disabled girl's family on edge without Minnesota aid during shutdown
Star Tribune: Businesses feel immediate bite
WDAY: Family Camps in Own Backyard due to Minnesota Shutdown
July 3:
CNN: Minnesota government shutdown could last days longer
KARE 11: Food shelves bracing for government shutdown impact
KSTP-TV: Shutdown Creates Block on Background Checks
Pioneer Press: Battle lines that preceded state government shutdown were drawn between Dayton, GOP after last fall's elections
Politico: Minnesota mean at heart of government shutdown
Reuters: Minnesotans frustrated, angry over state government shutdown
Star Tribune: Shutdown cost will bring sticker shock
Star Tribune: Losing 'non-essential' services hurts
Star Tribune: Dozens flow in at outset of Minnesota Zoo reopening
WDAY: No Talks Expected Before Tuesday for Minnesota Shutdown
July 2:
Duluth News Tribune: Minnesota state employees call for budget compromise
NPR: Minnesota Shutdown Hits Vulnerable First
New York Times: Closing a State? The Rules Are Tricky
KARE 11: State workers shudder at indefinite shutdown
KARE 11: Family finances get a new look after officials fail to fix the state's budget
Reuters: Minnesotans frustrated, angry over state government shutdown
Star Tribune: No holiday from the impasse
Star Tribune: 'Closed' doesn't deter park visitors
Pioneer Press: Who's to blame? Depends on who's doing the talking
Pioneer Press: For those cut off from aid, a plea: 'What about us?'
July 1:
Finance & Commerce: Shutdown not seen harming Minnesota’s reputation
KSTP-TV: What's Open or Closed During Government Shutdown
Minnesota Public Radio: Recap: A week of negotiation ends in stalemate
Minnesota Public Radio: Confusion over which services will be funded
New York Times: No End in Sight as Minnesotans Grapple With State Shutdown
Pioneer Press: What can you do during the shutdown?
Politico: Minnesota government shutdown puts Tim Pawlenty in spotlight
Star Tribune: Judge hears argument over zoo shutdown
Star Tribune: What's open, what's closed: your guide to the state shutdown
Washington Post: Minnesota government shutdown reflects widespread budget paralysis
June 30:
MinnPost: GOP leaders again seek special session, but Dayton says global deal needed first
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