![Minnesota Government Shutdown Costs Millions](http://townsquare.media/site/67/files/2011/05/Minnesota-Flag.jpg?w=980&q=75)
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.)
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