Republican Leaders Renew Demand For Special Session

STILLWATER (AP) - Republican legislative leaders are renewing their demand that Gov. Mark Dayton call a special session to pass budget bills that would prevent - or at least soften the pain of - a government shutdown in four days.

GOP leaders gathered Monday at the Stillwater Lift Bridge, which they say could close in a shutdown. However, shortly before the news conference, the Minnesota Department of Transportation said it hopes to keep the bridge open.

Dayton and GOP leaders had more budget talks set for Monday afternoon. Neither side will say if they're making progress in breaking their impasse over spending levels in the state budget.

At the Stillwater appearance, Republicans stuck with their longtime insistence that the state add no new revenue to its next two-year budget. Dayton says that's unacceptable.

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