Minnesota government shuts down as talks fail

Michael Brodkorb, Senate Republican spokesman, updates reporters outside the governor's office Thursday, June 30, 2011 in St. Paul, Minn., where negotiations between Republican lawmakers and Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton continued throughout the day in efforts to come to a budget agreement to avoid a government shutdown at midnight.


Minnesota stumbled into its second government shutdown in six years Thursday, with a partisan divide over taxes and spending to close a $5 billion deficit becoming only more bitter as a midnight deadline approached and negotiations foundered.