Layoffs Loom For Thousands Of State Workers As Budget Talks Stall
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO/AP) – Thousands of state workers will get layoff notices on Monday and urgency is sinking in as top Minnesota leaders resume private budget talks away from the Capitol.
It comes after another day of budget talks between Governor Mark Dayton and Speaker of the House Kurt Daudt.
The big talking point Thursday was pre-K education.
It's the biggest issue keeping lawmakers from a special session to finish what they couldn't during the regular session.
The governor wants additional money for statewide preschool run by public schools and teachers.
Daudt said he's willing to compromise, but thinks that money would be better spent on directed scholarships to families in need. That way, families could choose private or public schools.
"This really is both. Scholarships do not limit a parent from choosing a public school option. In fact, half of the scholarship money, by the choice of the parents, ends up in a public school option," Daudt said.
"To say that because you are over this income level you don't get that? And you do? I mean,why not both?" Dayton said.
Roughly 10,000 state workers will be out of a job on July 1 if Gov. Dayton and legislative leaders are unable to reach an agreement on three budget bills by then.
While the meetings are two way for now, Dayton met Thursday night with Democratic Senate Majority Leader Tom Bakk and House Minority Leader Paul Thissen.
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