Budget stalemate hurts Minnesota

Financial concerns and political disagreements cause shutdown in US state, leaving 23,000 without salary.

Minnesota

In the US state of Minnesota, the governor is a Democrat, the legislature is controlled by Republicans and a budget crisis has led to a partial government shutdown.

The governor wants higher taxes on upper-income people to cover the state’s projected $5bn deficit.

But Republicans insist on spending cuts only.

Meanwhile, some 23,000 workers – many of them state employees – are out of work and without a paycheque, with the crisis in its second week.

Al Jazeera’s Tom Ackerman reports.

Source: Al Jazeera