Dayton signs budget, ends state shutdown

Published 9:12 am Wednesday, July 20, 2011

ST. PAUL, Minn. — Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton has signed a new budget that ends the nation’s longest state government shutdown in the past decade.

Dayton’s signature came Wednesday after lawmakers met in special session starting Tuesday afternoon to give their own approval to the deal. All sides formalized an agreement that Dayton struck with leading Republicans late last week.

The two sides argued bitterly over taxes and spending for months. When government shut down July 1, it closed state parks and rest stops, laid off 22,000 state employees, stopped road projects and much more.

The end to the shutdown began when Dayton moved last week to accept a borrowing plan offered by the GOP shortly before the stoppage began.