GOP leaders, Dayton say they’re having ‘constructive’ budget talks

With just days to go before state government will shutdown absent a deal to solve the budget deficit, Gov. Mark Dayton and Republican leaders of the Legislature say they are having “worthwhile” and “constructive” meetings.

Dayton and GOP leadership met at the Capitol for just under an hour late Monday afternoon. At a news conference immediately after the meeting, Dayton, Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch and House Speaker Kurt Zellers agreed the meeting was cordial and productive, and plan to meet again early Tuesday morning.

The leaders also honored what they have been calling their “cone of silence” in discussing the details of their talks to close the $5 billion  budget gap. They gave no specifics on a possible deal.

“We’ve done it the other way where everything is in the public arena, and we are at an impasse,” Dayton said.

The governor would not make any statements on whether state government will shut down on Friday, July 1, when the new fiscal year is set to begin. “I’m not going to lay odds on [a shutdown],” he said.