Deal reached to end Minnesota shutdown. Sigh.

Minnesota’s two-week government shutdown that left 22,000 state workers without a job will end soon, after Governor Mark Dayton (D) and Republication legislators agreed to a deal to close the budget gap.

The ongoing shutdown has resulted in huge layoffs of state workers, the shuttering of the Capitol, the closing of state parks, and cuts in funding to many social service programs. The shutdown cost the state more than $20 million a day and has lowered the state’s bond rating, making it more difficult to borrow money.

Dayton wanted to include a tax increase on the wealthiest 2 percent of Minnesotans to close the gap, but Republican legislators would not budge. Dayton sacrificed to end the crippling shutdown, accepting an offer by Republicans to bring $1.4 billion into the budget by delaying payments to schools and selling tobacco payment bonds. Dayton said in a letter to GOP leaders:

Despite my serious reservations about your plan, I have concluded that continuing the state government shutdown would be even more destructive for too many Minnesotans. Therefore, I am willing to agree to something I do not agree with — your proposal — in order to spare our citizens and our state from further damage.

In return, the Republicans agreed to drop policy changes they held the state’s workers hostage for wanted, including banning state aid to stem cell research, restrictions on abortions and cutting the state’s work force by 15 percent.

The workers suffer, while the millionaires still don’t have to pay their fair share.

Same old story.