RENEE MONTAGNE, Host:
And in Minnesota, the state government is closed for business this morning. The government shut down Friday after days of around-the-clock talks failed to produce a deal between the Republican-controlled legislature and the Democratic governor. There were no new budget negotiations over the three-day Independence weekend. Governor Mark Dayton said a break could do everyone good.
MARK DAYTON: Well, I think sometimes you just need a little bit of a breather.
MONTAGNE: Still, Dave Thompson, a Republican leader in the Senate, said his party was prepared to hold its ground.
DAVE THOMPSON: The feedback that I'm getting is we've got to stop this spiraling cost of government and so hang tough. That's the feeling that I got.
MONTAGNE: Well, they may be hanging tough but lawmakers on both sides are set to return to the negotiating table today. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.