Government shutdown would be felt statewide

Posted at 11:00 AM on June 3, 2011 by Michael Olson (1 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

The inability of Gov. Mark Dayton and Republican legislative leaders to come to an agreement on the state budget could result in new costs for the state.

A leader of one of the largest unions in the state, the Minnesota Association of Professional Employees (MAPE), says a shutdown could leave the state on the hook for $50 million.

The Saint Cloud Times reports "the potential payments to laid-off workers reportedly could include severance, accrued vacation and compensatory payments, according to Richard Kolodziejski, legislative affairs director for MAPE."

MAPE represents about 13,000 professional state workers.

The shutdown will happen if a budget agreement can't be reached by June 30. MPR's Martin Moyland reports the layoffs "would arguably be the largest single layoff in state history." Moyland estimates that thousands, if not tens of thousands, of state workers would be given a pink slip.

Only those deemed non-essential by a court after the shutdown would be laid off.

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