Minnesota Government Shutdown Costs Millions

ST. PAUL (AP) - Minnesota's political leaders are continuing to haggle over how much the state should spend in the next two years, but the shutdown caused by their impasse is getting expensive.

The week-old shutdown is causing state coffers to bleed millions of dollars. Lottery tickets aren't being purchased, tax cheats aren't being pursued and 22,000 laid-off state workers are collecting unemployment and health benefits.

The government interruption could threaten an already sluggish economic recovery as state workers and others in state-dependent jobs tighten their belts.

Democratic Governor Mark Dayton and Republican legislative leaders met briefly Wednesday but made no progress toward a budget deal to end the shutdown. They had no immediate plans to meet again.

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)