Dayton: I won’t take salary if government shuts down
Gov. Mark Dayton announced today that he won't take a salary if there's a state government shutdown on July 1. He's also calling on the Legislature to follow his lead.
"In the event of a state government shutdown, which I remain committed to doing everything possible to avoid, I think it would be terribly wrong for those of us responsible for it, the Republican legislators and myself, to receive our salaries while thousands of dedicated state employees have lost theirs."
As many as 36,000 state employees will be laid off if Dayton and GOP legislative leaders fail to reach a budget deal by July 1. Dayton's announcement comes after the Star Tribune reported that they informed lawmakers and staff that they aim to keep paying them even if state government shuts down.
Dayton and GOP legislative leaders are at odds over the best way to balance the state's budget. Dayton wants to raise income taxes on Minnesota's top earners to erase part of a $5 billion projected budget deficit. Republicans say the deficit can be erased through spending cuts.
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