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GOP Leaders Bring Another Budget Offer To Dayton

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Republican leaders and the governor will try again Thursday to make progress on a state budget agreement -- and avoid a government shutdown.

But still, it's not looking real promising.

The impact would be widespread -- not just for state workers, but  for all of us who rely on services provided by the state.

As the huge business of government slowly begins a wind-down of operations, republicans are preparing another budget offer to bring to Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton.

Schools won't be funded, parks will be shut down at the height of the busy tourist season, the state lottery won't sell tickets and nursing home payments will be suspended.

It's because of this impasse. Republicans want to sharply limit state spending. Gov. Dayton wants a tax increase to maintain current services.

"We just don't believe that a tax increase or a shutdown is anyway necessary," said Speaker of the House Rep. Kurt Zellers.

But Dayton said passing this budget would be worse.

"A temporary shutdown -- painful as it is -- is not equivalent to the kind of catastrophe that would be ongoing that would occur if I acceded to this budget," he said.

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